Catawba rhododendron on the Roan Highlands

Rhododendron catawbiense

Catawba rhododendron usually blooms from late May to early July on the Roan Highlands, with the best color from early June into late June.

late May – early July Best: early June into late June Out of season

The show usually starts around late May. Check back closer to the season.

Based on reports from iNaturalist naturalists. 102 flowering reports from Roan Mountain Highlands shape this curve. The shaded band marks the best weeks; the dashed line is this week.

Where to see them

Purple-pink rhododendron across mile-high balds, usually the third week of June. The Roan gardens are drive-up; the AT over Round Bald is the walk everyone remembers.

Roan Mountain Rhododendron Gardens (Pisgah National Forest)
Carvers Gap and the Appalachian Trail balds
Craggy Gardens (Blue Ridge Parkway)

Worth planning around: Roan Mountain Rhododendron Festival, mid-June.

We name public reserves, parks, and roads only — never exact pins, never private land.

Updated August 14, 2026. Bloom timing varies with the year's weather — the curve shows the usual rhythm, and in-season updates sharpen it.