# Tropical Rhododendron [Vireya] pics



## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

So I went to get a shower curtain rod today, and ended up at a specialty plant nursery (Bovees). I never did get that rod. Forgot all about it.

I was inspired by the picture of the vireya Rhododendron 'Fire Plum' posted by toaddrool. I would have bought that variety but it was out of stock at the moment. 

I started wondering if more of them than we would think could do well in vivaria, even though most of the smaller statured ones we can buy are descended from higher cooler places. It seems worth experimenting, so I spent the last of my end-of-the-month penny jar and bought a couple hybrids, figuring they might be more forgiving and longer blooming. Once they establish I'll try growing out some cuttings in warmth and humidity.

This first pic is actually the only one that is taken at home, of one of my own plants blooming. Rhododendron [Vireya]'Orangerie Bay':









This is 'Saxon Glow,' the mother plant of another one I brought home, in bloom:









This is 'Lucie Sorensen,' which I wanted to bring home today, but they were out of stock for the moment. Small leaves and bright orange flowers; if it can handle the warmth I think it would look great in a vivarium:









Here are a whole bunch more, but not anywhere near everything I saw there today! I noticed I skipped over the pinks and whites when taking pictures. Probably because I was too busy sniffing the whites (many of them had amazing fragrance), and the color pink just doesn't really float my boat. The two here that look pink are actually bright red, but the phone camera picks up a lot of IR reflection in red, blue, and purple flowers and washes them out badly 

Most of these are really larger types; it made me really keen on getting to a place where I can have a greenhouse again. On the other hand, I might have put myself seriously in debt if I'd had a place to put them.





































These next two are actually very red in real life:




































































































I had grown a couple of NOID Vireyas a long time ago and was familiar with them, but I still got quite an education talking to the owners for hours today. Very glad I dropped in there.

Enjoy,
V


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## fullmonti (May 10, 2013)

They are beautiful!


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## jckee1 (Mar 22, 2011)

Yes, Bovees has some great plants. I have ordered from them many times but have never been so nice to see pics from their place.

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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Outside of Vireya, there are also neo tropical Rhodies. I've never been down there, but I was lucky enough to see a friends photos of a NOID Rhododendron sp. Growing epiphytically on a giant Ceiba in Nicaragua. The roots were trailing all the way to the gound- some 60 feet!


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

What kind of of long-term success have you guys had? I have heard that these plants do not tolerate high heat, yet they cannot freeze. So how say you?


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

The couple of them I had before (NOIDs) were in a protected spot in San Francisco... they were usually cool and humid, and never frozen. It just happened to be a good spot, and they seemed very easy there.


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## Hornet (Sep 29, 2010)

I though vireyas were tropical plants? They grow find here as garden plants, our summers are in the high 30's to early 40's

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## toaddrool (Feb 5, 2013)

gorgeous!!!!


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

Hornet said:


> I though vireyas were tropical plants? They grow find here as garden plants, our summers are in the high 30's to early 40's


They're tropical by map, but I guess most are from higher elevations where the actual climate is cooler. I was asking around about the ones from lower elevations in the tropics, the kinds we might have better luck with in vivaria, but they are considered harder to grow and are not common in cultivation. If I get into them more, I'll be begging for people to send seeds and/or pollen to start working with the ones that might be happier kept warmer.


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## toaddrool (Feb 5, 2013)

Groundhog said:


> What kind of of long-term success have you guys had? I have heard that these plants do not tolerate high heat, yet they cannot freeze. So how say you?


I cannot speak for long term success yet. I have only had them for just under a year. The difficulties are the following:

They require good drainage (so I use a false bottom with ABG mix).

They require good lighting, something similar to Cattleya lighting, or better to flower. I have grown these for years in the windowsill where they are in southern exposure. They do love high light.

If you grow the small leaved forms, they don't do well in high heat. High heat is what you are going to get with high lights. I solve this issue by having my tank in a cool room with an AC blowing on it all the time. Literally just inches away.

Vireyas love high humidity, which is a plus for vivariums. Thats why I have had more success with them in my vivarium than planted in pots on a windowsill.

SO, high light, intermediate temperatures, high humidity, constant water availability and extra very good drainage or mounted as an epiphyte.


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

Except for my poor temperature control in summer, that sounds ideal. I'm going to look into those freestanding AC units that use flexible air ducts this year; I have skylights instead of windows and no central air.


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