Western Azalea (Rhododenron occidentale)

Although sweeping vistas of mountains and canyons have their attraction, there are always overwhelmingly beautiful spots that capture you attention but are limited to one tree or one plant. One of my regrets is that I cannot be someplace every day of the year to see the succession of beauty that occurs. I am certain that if I lived in the mountains, I would find a new surprise every day of the year. Here is the Western Azalea (Rhododenron occidentale) growing beneath the canopy of the giant Sequoia forest in the Western Sierra Nevada.