Rhododendron catawbiense, with common names Catawba rosebay,[2] Catawba rhododendron,[3] mountain rosebay,[3] purple ivy,[3] purple laurel,[3] purple rhododendron,[3] red laurel,[3] rosebay,[3] rosebay laurel,[3] is a species of Rhododendron native to the eastern United States, growing mainly in the southern Appalachian Mountains from Virginia south to northern Alabama.
It is a dense, suckering shrub growing to 3 m tall, rarely 5 m. The leaves are evergreen, 6–12 cm long and 2–4 cm broad. The flowers are 3-4.5 cm diameter, violet-purple, often with small spots or streaks. The fruit is a dry capsule 15–20 mm long, containing numerous small seeds.
The species is named after the Catawba River.
