Japanese andromeda is native to China, Taiwan, and Japan. It is not found in the wild in
North America, though it and its many cultivars are popular in gardens.
Plants: An evergreen shrub or small tree 3-13′ (1-4 m) in size, usually
less than 6½′ (2 m). Twigs are hairless, and easily broken.
Leaves: Alternate, unlobed (simple), shiny, dark green, leathery leaves.
The leaves have fine serrations, and are oblanceolate to obovate-oblong. Young
leaves are orange-bronze.
Flowers: Flowers are abundant, forming drooping clusters up to 6″ (15 cm) around.
Individual flowers are white, about ¼″ (6.3 mm) long, and resemble small inverted urns. They look very similar to blueberry flowers,
to which they are loosely related. The tip of each flower has 5 small lobes that spread outward.
(Cultivated varieties are available in shades of pink as well as white.) Flowers appear from March to April.
Fruits: Brown capsules with five valves are visible year-round.
Each capsule is oval in shape, and about ⅛″ (3.2 mm) long.
Edibility: Poisonous Leaves and flower nectar contain andromedotoxin,
which can cause death to people or animals. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
abnormal heart rhythms, and headache.