Common Name:
Vireya Rhododendron
Description:
A tropical looking shrub with glossy green leaves and bright trumpet shaped flowers.
Flower:
Apricot pink blooms with a cream throat.
Size:
1.5m
Growing Conditions:
- Very frost tender. Could be grown in a pot and sheltered over winter.
- Plant in a free draining soil, with their roots just covered.
- They like to have limited root space and dislike well worked and heavily feed soil.
- Will grow in full sun but does enjoy protection from the hot afternoon sun.
- Shelter from wind. The strong drying winds can cause burn on the larger leaved forms.
Care:
- Prune from an early age to encourage a compact and tidy habit.
- Generally pest free but like their Rhododendron cousins they can be affected by Thrips and Mildew, spray accordingly. Root rots from wet soil can also cause sudden collapse.
- Feed regularly with a gentle fertiliser rather than hand full’s of pellets. Liquid forms works well.
- They come from a humid area so like regularly but light watering. The soil or mix should be kept on the drier side. Watering or misting the foliage is a good way to give them their moisture.
Uses:
Vireya are perfect for adding bright bold colour to the garden. Ideal for under planting trees and other shrubs they are also happy in containers and some of the more spreading varieties could be grown in hanging baskets.
Comment:
With their brightly coloured flowers the vireya has a repeat-flowering habit, tending to flower for a few weeks at a time, two to three times a year. They come in a wide array of flower shapes and colours in all shades of white, pink, red, orange, yellow and orange. Many are fragrant and make excellent companions to ferns, Hostas, Azalea and other partial-shade lovers.