Rhododendron maximum (Ericaceae) - This large shrub is the progenitor of the garden varieties. Although the Peterson's Field Guide lists it in the "pink" section, and the buds I saw were tinged with pink, the mature flowers appeared white. This is perhaps due to soil content. Rhododendrons keep their leaves all winter, and they have a tendency to curl up in really cold weather. I have been told that if you study the plant long enough, you can tell the temperature in winter by how much the leaves have curled... A member of the Heath family, this plant was blooming in Eastern PA the first week in July. (Photographed in PA)