[The Heath Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

False Azalea, Fool's Huckleberry, Fool's-huckleberry, Mock Azalea, Rusty Menziesia

Menziesia ferruginea

Synonyms: Menziesia ferruginea ssp. glabella, Menziesia ferruginea var. ferruginea, Menziesia ferruginea var. glabella, Menziesia glabella, Rhododendron menziesii

False Azalea, Fool's Huckleberry, Fool's-huckleberry, Mock Azalea, Rusty Menziesia: Menziesia ferruginea (Synonyms: Menziesia ferruginea ssp. glabella, Menziesia ferruginea var. ferruginea, Menziesia ferruginea var. glabella, Menziesia glabella, Rhododendron menziesii)

Note the bronze, bell-shaped flowers and the clusters of leaves which are similar to those of white rhododendron.

Fool's Huckleberry: Shrubs from 1-3 meters high with alternate, hairy leaves, atlthough the deciduous leaves may appear whorled. The small flowers are nodding and brownish or copper-colored.

False Azalea, Fool's Huckleberry, Fool's-huckleberry, Mock Azalea, Rusty Menziesia: Menziesia ferruginea (Synonyms: Menziesia ferruginea ssp. glabella, Menziesia ferruginea var. ferruginea, Menziesia ferruginea var. glabella, Menziesia glabella, Rhododendron menziesii) - False Azalea, Fool's Huckleberry, Fool's-huckleberry, Mock Azalea, Rusty Menziesia: Menziesia ferruginea (Synonyms: Menziesia ferruginea ssp. glabella, Menziesia ferruginea var. ferruginea, Menziesia ferruginea var. glabella, Menziesia glabella, Rhododendron menziesii)

Close-ups of the flowers (and a dry fruit) of fool's huckleberry as seen on the ridge north of Silver Star Mountain, Gifford Pinchot NF.......July 11, 2013.
Paul Slichter