Some plants in the garden bear such a striking resemblence to rhododendrons that we assume that they are relatives. In fact, many are first or second cousins, such as the Pacific Madrone or Camellia . Others look less like the more common forms of rhododendron, such as heather or kiwi fruit. Still others, like some of the magnolias or laurels, that look like relatives, are linked only if you go back several steps in the classification of plants. The chart below shows the family tree of rhododendrons. The index at left links to pictures of some immediate family (ericaceae) and a few second cousins (ericales).

Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Ericales Family: Ericaceae Genus: Rhododendron

kalmia latifolia