{"id":"rhododendron-occidentale","license":"CC-BY-4.0","data":{"scientificName":"Rhododendron occidentale","commonNames":["Western azalea"],"taxonRank":"species","acceptedName":"Rhododendron occidentale","family":"Ericaceae","ids":{"usdaSymbol":"RHOC","gbifKey":2883077,"itisTsn":23724,"wikidataQid":"Q1129673","inatTaxonId":60527},"usdaZoneMin":"6a","usdaZoneMax":"9b","zoneSource":"pnw590","states":["CA","ID","OR","WA"],"rangeAssertions":[{"relation":"native","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["CA"],"regions":["TDWG level 1 7 — NORTHERN AMERICA","TDWG level 2 76 — Southwestern U.S.A.","TDWG level 3 CAL — California"]},"occurrenceStatus":"present","presenceStatus":"extant","source":"wcvp-v16","sourceVersion":"16","asOf":"2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"relation":"native","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["OR"],"regions":["TDWG level 1 7 — NORTHERN AMERICA","TDWG level 2 73 — Northwestern U.S.A.","TDWG level 3 ORE — Oregon"]},"occurrenceStatus":"present","presenceStatus":"extant","source":"wcvp-v16","sourceVersion":"16","asOf":"2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z"}],"hardinessAssertions":[{"minimum":"5","maximum":"10","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"osu-em-9103","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Western Azalea profile (PDF page 165)","sourceVersion":"EM 9103, February 2015","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"},{"minimum":"6","maximum":"9","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"pnw-590","sourceRecordId":"shrubs:Western azalea","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Western azalea profile, USDA hardiness zones field","sourceVersion":"2023-10","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"},{"minimum":"8a","interpretation":"minimum-threshold","precision":"half-zone","zoneMapping":"derived-containing-band","sourceMeasurement":{"kind":"minimum-temperature","value":13,"unit":"degrees-fahrenheit"},"applicability":"applicable","source":"usda-plants-characteristics","sourceRecordId":"RHOC","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"source-identifier","sourcePlacement":"PlantCharacteristics record 65374, Temperature, Minimum (°F)","sourceVersion":"PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"}],"plantForm":"shrub","matureHeightFt":10,"waterNeed":"high","photo":{"file":"/images/plants/rhododendron-occidentale.jpg","sourceUrl":"https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/249603089","observationUrl":"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/145316377","license":"cc-by-sa","attribution":"(c) Brian Finzel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)","fetchedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},"evidence":[{"source":"pnw-590","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"listed fire-resistant","edition":"2023","url":"https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/pnw-590-fire-resistant-plants-home-landscapes","documentDate":"2023-10-01T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"firesmart-bc","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"FireSmart-approved fire-resistant plant","claims":"Flagged by FireSmart BC as needing more research.","original":"pnw-590","url":"https://firesmartbc.ca/landscaping-hub/fire-resistant-plants/","accessedOn":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"fitzgerald-waldo-2002-osu-frn6","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"Fire-Resistant Plant Materials for Oregon","claims":"Rhododendron occidentale (Western azalea) is listed under “Shrubs—broadleaf evergreen” for Southern and Western Oregon. The guide says most listed plants require some irrigation during Oregon's dry summer months and must be maintained in a healthy condition.","plantPart":"whole-plant","condition":"green","sourcePlacement":{"value":"Southern and Western Oregon","scheme":"osu-frn6-oregon-regions"},"edition":"Forest Resource Note No. 6","url":"https://www.iatp.org/sites/default/files/Fire_Resistant_Plants_for_Oregon_Home_Landscap.pdf","documentDate":"2002-04-01T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"osu-em-9103","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"fire-resistant plants that thrive in Willamette Valley growing conditions","claims":"The shrubs & woody vines profile lists Rhododendron occidentale as Western Azalea. The profile prints USDA Hardiness Zone: 5–10.","plantPart":"whole-plant","sourcePlacement":{"value":"Western Azalea profile (PDF page 165)","scheme":"osu-em-9103-profile"},"edition":"EM 9103, February 2015","url":"https://www.canbyfire.org/files/074d2a9e3/Fire-Resistant-Plants_Willamette-Valley.pdf","documentDate":"2015-02-01T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"osu-plant-profile-galleries","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"Choose the right shrubs for your fire-resistant landscape","claims":"The Western azalea profile prints Rhododendron occidentale. The gallery points to PNW 590 for complete details.","plantPart":"whole-plant","sourcePlacement":{"value":"Western azalea — Rhododendron occidentale","scheme":"osu-2023-shrubs-gallery"},"edition":"November 2023 educational gallery","url":"https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gallery/fire-resistant-plant-profiles-shrubs","documentDate":"2023-11-01T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"lubin-shelly-1997-ucfpl-compilation","verdict":"recommend","verdictRaw":"RECOMMENDED by 3 references for use in high fire risk areas.","claims":"1997 Landscape Vegetation Database row: Rhododendron occidentale (Western azalea). Preserved UCFPL transcription marker: F3.","plantPart":"whole-plant","sourcePlacement":{"value":"Chapter 4, Landscape Vegetation Database","scheme":"ucfpl-1997"},"edition":"Internal Report 36.01.137 (July 1997)","url":"https://www.firesafemonterey.org/uploads/1/0/6/5/10653434/uc_forestproductslabdefensiblespaceplantlist_ocr.pdf","documentDate":"1997-07-01T00:00:00.000Z","accessedOn":"2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z"}],"flammabilityClass":"fire-resistant","ratingReason":"limited-evidence","recommendation":"on-list","author":"grayson-graham","reviewStatus":"draft","lastVerified":"2026-08-23T00:00:00.000Z","reviewNotes":"Photo auto-selected (top-voted iNat); human review pending."},"localAssessmentInputs":{"stateDistribution":["CA","ID","OR","WA"],"nativeStates":[],"rangeAssertions":[{"relation":"native","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["CA"],"regions":["TDWG level 1 7 — NORTHERN AMERICA","TDWG level 2 76 — Southwestern U.S.A.","TDWG level 3 CAL — California"]},"occurrenceStatus":"present","presenceStatus":"extant","source":"wcvp-v16","sourceVersion":"16","asOf":"2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},{"relation":"native","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["OR"],"regions":["TDWG level 1 7 — NORTHERN AMERICA","TDWG level 2 73 — Northwestern U.S.A.","TDWG level 3 ORE — Oregon"]},"occurrenceStatus":"present","presenceStatus":"extant","source":"wcvp-v16","sourceVersion":"16","asOf":"2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},{"relation":"documented-occurrence","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["CA","ID","OR","WA"]},"provenance":"legacy-field"}],"usdaZoneMin":"6a","usdaZoneMax":"9b","hardinessAssertions":[{"minimum":"5","maximum":"10","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"osu-em-9103","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Western Azalea profile (PDF page 165)","sourceVersion":"EM 9103, February 2015","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},{"minimum":"6","maximum":"9","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"pnw-590","sourceRecordId":"shrubs:Western azalea","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Western azalea profile, USDA hardiness zones field","sourceVersion":"2023-10","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},{"minimum":"8a","interpretation":"minimum-threshold","precision":"half-zone","zoneMapping":"derived-containing-band","sourceMeasurement":{"kind":"minimum-temperature","value":13,"unit":"degrees-fahrenheit"},"applicability":"applicable","source":"usda-plants-characteristics","sourceRecordId":"RHOC","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"source-identifier","sourcePlacement":"PlantCharacteristics record 65374, Temperature, Minimum (°F)","sourceVersion":"PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"}],"hardinessSelection":{"status":"overlapping","assertions":[{"minimum":"5","maximum":"10","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"osu-em-9103","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Western Azalea profile (PDF page 165)","sourceVersion":"EM 9103, February 2015","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},{"minimum":"6","maximum":"9","interpretation":"explicit-range","precision":"whole-zone","zoneMapping":"source-stated","applicability":"applicable","source":"pnw-590","sourceRecordId":"shrubs:Western azalea","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"exact","sourcePlacement":"Western azalea profile, USDA hardiness zones field","sourceVersion":"2023-10","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"},{"minimum":"8a","interpretation":"minimum-threshold","precision":"half-zone","zoneMapping":"derived-containing-band","sourceMeasurement":{"kind":"minimum-temperature","value":13,"unit":"degrees-fahrenheit"},"applicability":"applicable","source":"usda-plants-characteristics","sourceRecordId":"RHOC","sourceTaxon":"Rhododendron occidentale","taxonMatch":"source-identifier","sourcePlacement":"PlantCharacteristics record 65374, Temperature, Minimum (°F)","sourceVersion":"PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23","asOf":"2026-08-26T00:00:00.000Z","provenance":"cited"}]},"invasiveIn":[],"statusAssertions":[],"fireEvidenceClass":"fire-resistant","recommendation":"on-list","fireSourceScopes":[{"source":"lubin-shelly-1997-ucfpl-compilation","sourceName":"Defensible Space Landscaping in the Urban/Wildland Interface: A Compilation of Fire Performance Ratings of Residential Landscape Plants","sourceUrl":"https://www.firesafemonterey.org/uploads/1/0/6/5/10653434/uc_forestproductslabdefensiblespaceplantlist_ocr.pdf","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["CA"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"The UC Forest Products Laboratory says the guide covers properties of common California landscaping plants and was prepared for California fire agencies. FireApproved publishes 130 exact owners at historical California publication scope. The report is a 1997 compilation, not a current endorsement, site rating, or independent test of every row.","sourceVersion":"UCFPL-Internal-Report-36.01.137-1997-07","asOf":"1997-07-01T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"osu-em-9103","sourceName":"Fire-resistant Landscape Plants for the Willamette Valley (EM 9103)","sourceUrl":"https://www.canbyfire.org/files/074d2a9e3/Fire-Resistant-Plants_Willamette-Valley.pdf","geography":{"grain":"aggregate-region","stateCodes":["OR"],"regions":["Willamette Valley"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"OSU Extension says EM 9103 highlights fire-resistant plants that thrive under Willamette Valley growing conditions. FireApproved publishes 172 exact owners only as valley context. The guide shares the PNW 590 lineage and is not a second independent vote or statewide site clearance.","sourceVersion":"OSU-EM-9103-2015-02","asOf":"2015-02-01T00:00:00.000Z"},{"source":"pnw-590","sourceName":"Fire-Resistant Plants for Home Landscapes (PNW 590)","sourceUrl":"https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/pnw-590-fire-resistant-plants-home-landscapes","geography":{"grain":"state","stateCodes":["ID","OR","WA"]},"completeness":"partial","reviewStatus":"reviewed","scope":"The October 2023 joint Pacific Northwest Extension publication explicitly names Oregon, Washington, and Idaho and publishes more than 150 plant profiles. FireApproved has normalized 155 exact plant records from the source; publication scope does not assert that every listed plant suits every site within the three states.","sourceVersion":"PNW-590-October-2023","asOf":"2023-10-01T00:00:00.000Z"}],"firePerformanceConditions":[{"condition":"green","evidence":[{"source":"fitzgerald-waldo-2002-osu-frn6","verdict":"recommend","url":"https://www.iatp.org/sites/default/files/Fire_Resistant_Plants_for_Oregon_Home_Landscap.pdf","claims":"Rhododendron occidentale (Western azalea) is listed under “Shrubs—broadleaf evergreen” for Southern and Western Oregon. The guide says most listed plants require some irrigation during Oregon's dry summer months and must be maintained in a healthy condition.","evidenceIndex":2}]}],"maintenanceAssertions":[],"maintenanceConditions":null,"regulatoryReviews":{},"seedReviews":{}},"legacyCompatibilityProjection":{"nativeStates":["CA","OR"],"invasiveIn":[]},"localAssessmentContract":"Compare each dimension separately. State noxious-weed seed designations are material-scoped and never become non-seed plant restrictions, ecological-invasive findings, nursery restrictions, alternatives, product evidence, or fire votes. Introduced/established context is not an invasive warning. Minimum-only hardiness has no inferred maximum; canonical source-temperature conversion is validated and contradictory applicable rows project no primary zone. L48 context applies only to conterminous states and is never exact-state status. Fire-performance conditions are not maintenance advice. FEIS fire-ecology context does not vote in the plant classification. Absence of a status row is not regulatory clearance."}