Tender Rhododendrons

Tender (maddenia) Rhododendrons are suitable for the cold greenhouse and mild areas such as Cornwall where they can be grown outdoors. Elsewhere in sheltered gardens they are worth trying against a South facing wall. They give a magnificent display in Spring, and the pinks and whites often have gorgeous scent to fill a conservatory. Many of these Rhododendrons are epiphytic, meaning that they naturally grow in the boughs of forest trees and rock crevasses. Hence they often grow and flower better when their roots are constrained in a relatively small pot, and they need a very free draining compost.

When grown in a conservatory, these plants grow vigorously, so prune HARD straight after flowering to encourage bushiness, leaving only about 10cm of the previous year's growth.