Rhododendron japonicum

Rhododendron japonicum, the Japanese azalea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to Japan. A deciduous shrub reaching 8 ft (2.4 m) but usually half that, it is found in grasslands and open scrub, never in dense thickets or woodlands. It is very similar to the Chinese endemic Rhododendron molle, to the extent that its cultivars are customarily grouped with the cultivars of R. molle. It is popularly cultivated as a bonsai tree.