Is azalea a national protected plant?

Rhododendron is an evergreen shrub of Rubiaceae, which is distributed in subtropical and tropical areas in southern China. Yingshanhong is widely planted because of its beautiful flowers and ornamental value, but at the same time, due to deforestation and over-mining, its number has decreased sharply and it has become one of the endangered plants.

In order to protect rhododendrons, China listed them as national first-class protected plants in 1989, which means that all wild rhododendrons are protected by law, and activities such as digging, cutting and selling are prohibited. In addition, Rhododendron is listed in Appendix II of Washington Convention, which is one of the restricted species in international trade.