Coastal azalea grows naturally from New Jersey south to Georgia in the sandy soils of the Atlantic coastal plain, and that origin shapes everything about how to grow it well. It wants full sun to partial shade, consistent moisture, and freely draining sandy soil, with a mulch layer of needles, bark, or compost to stabilize moisture and temperature around its roots. Typical mature size is 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, though plants occasionally climb to 6 feet in sheltered sites. Underground stolons allow it to spread slowly into a loose colony over time.

The species is prized enough by breeders that it appears frequently in azalea hybridization programs, largely because of its potent flower fragrance. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds respond to that fragrance reliably each spring. Position it where winter winds and hard frosts can be minimized, as both can damage the flowers and burn the foliage. In the garden, it serves equally well as a border accent, a low informal hedge, a container specimen, or a front-of-border planting in a pollinator or native garden. Hardy in zones 6 through 8, it brings genuine coastal character to any planting that can meet its moisture and soil requirements.