Rhododendron vireya Saxon blush - Tropical Rhododendron

Rhododendron 'Saxon Blush' is a superb variety of tropical origin with a particularly compact habit. This almost dwarf shrub has dense, evergreen foliage that is dark green and ornamental all year round. It blooms repeatedly over a very long period in autumn and winter and sometimes even blooms again in summer. It is adorned with a multitude of small, salmon-pink trumpet-shaped flowers, with an undeniable romantic charm. It is not very hardy so should be grown in a pot to be overwintered indoors and protected from frost.

Rhododendrons belong to the Ericaceae family, which includes about a hundred genera, such as the classic Arbutus or Heather, and also includes some lesser-known beauties, such as Oxydendron arboreum, or Tree Andromeda. With 850 species, the Rhododendron genus includes both shrubs and trees that can reach a height of 15m. This diversity justifies a fairly detailed botanical classification, with subgenera, sections, and subsections. In addition to the hardy Rhododendrons in our gardens (which also include Azaleas, a purely horticultural term), the Vireya section includes no less than 300 tropical species. Growing in a geographical area ranging from Malaysia to the Philippines, and from Indonesia to Papua New Guinea, these plants are often epiphytic (growing on trees, like many tropical orchids) and tend to bloom almost all year round.
'Saxon Blush' is a variety from this section, semi-epiphytic and can be grown in the ground. It is the result of Oswald Blumhardt's selection work in New Zealand, who obtained it by crossing the 'Hot Tropic' variety, a red and yellow bicoloured hybrid, with Rhododendron saxifragoides. This latter species is very unique, as it is terrestrial and not epiphytic, developing a long taproot capable of infiltrating the crevices of the rocks on which it grows. Forming a 15cm tall ground cover, with very small leaves (3.5 x 0.7cm), and topped with small red flowers, 3.5cm in diameter, borne on long pedicels (up to 9cm). Endemic to New Guinea (in the southern hemisphere), this alpine plant grows at high altitudes (from 3200 to 4000m) and blooms between August and December.
With such heritage, it is not surprising that 'Saxon Blush' stands out from other Vireya. It forms a more compact shrub, not exceeding 40 to 50cm in height and width, after a rather slow growth. Its habit is fairly regular, giving a well-balanced sphere of beautiful stature. The glossy dark green foliage consists of small elliptical leaves about 3-4cm long, very close to each other due to particularly short internodes. It forms a very dense and truly aesthetic cushion of vegetation, whose dark green colour enhances the light-coloured flowering. This flowering occurs repeatedly during autumn and winter, and sometimes even in summer, providing an extremely attractive flowering pot for a good part of the year. The flowers, in clusters of 5 to 8 units, have a trumpet shape, with the tubular base formed by the fused petals on the pedicel side, a morphological characteristic of Ericaceae (known as gamopetalous flowers). The corolla then opens up to rounded petals, in a beautiful salmon-pink colour, slightly darker along the petal edges and lighter in the throat and on the outer surface. A cluster of stamens with dark red anthers emerges from the heart of the flower, creating a nice contrast. The numerous flowers, longer than the leaves, are perfectly in harmony with the dark green of the foliage.

Rhododendron vireya are tropical plants and although 'Saxon Blush' can tolerate light frosts, it is best to avoid this stress by growing it in a pot and bringing it indoors to a bright, frost-free room in winter. This will also ensure that it has an acidic, moisture-retentive and well-draining substrate to meet its needs. In the summer, place the pot in the light shade of taller plants to protect it from harsh sunlight while benefiting from some humidity (due to the transpiration of other plants). You can create an exotic setting by accompanying it with conservatory plants, such as Kumquat 'Fukushu', which will reward you with its fragrant summer flowering and small oval fruits in winter, their orange colour standing out against the dark green foliage. Moreover, they are edible and can be consumed in their entirety. To enhance the tropical aspect of your scene, go for a Phoenix roebelinii, or Mekong Date Palm, a dwarf palm with very finely divided and remarkably decorative fronds.