Rhododendron periclymenoides 2, Pinxter Azalea

Here is one of the native azaleas...with the lovely name Pinxter (Rhododendron periclymenoides). Note that most of the planted azaleas these days are not native and while they may or may not attract a few bumble bees and other species they are not nearly as excellent a species of plant to use as the Pinxter which has its own specialist bee, Andrena cornelli and is integrated into the surrounding natural world supporting many other insects and life forms that non-native azaleas do not, so, your choice, save the bees or not. Picture and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman. Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200. USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.