How To Plant
Vireya Growing Guide
Sep
Vireya's are known as the Tropical Rhododendron and bring a stunning burst of colour to your garden, or outdoor living space.
They grow fantastically well in the warmer regions of Australia and will tolerate not just cold Winters, but also warm Summers, making them a versatile and hardy plant.
Originally, they're found in the South Pacific from areas surrounding Indonesia, Borneo and Malaysia.
Flowers
There's a huge selection of flower colours ranging from pale creams and crisp whites, to brilliant oranges, shocking pinks, and deep reds.
The flowers appear in large clusters of trumpet shaped blooms, and are produced throughout the year, but most prolifically during Autumn and Spring.
Some varieties produce flowers that are highly fragrant, white others while being equally stunning, have no fragrance.
Planting
Vireya's have a delicate root system that can be damaged, so always be gentle and take extra care when planting them to avoid too much disruption.
You'll need to re-pot your Vireya gradually into larger pot sizes, and only pot up as necessary. We recommend about a 50 mm increase in pot size each season.
Location
These shrubs do well in large tubs, or pots as well as planted directly into the garden.
They like a brightly lit position, but do need some shelter from harsh afternoon sun during the warmer months and strong winds. Some of the larger varieties do require more shade, so always check the Plant Label that comes with yours to be sure you've found the perfect spot.
Conditions
Vireya's like a moist, well draining soil or potting mix. If you're planting straight into the ground, make sure you cultivate the area thoroughly before planting to allow the roots to spread out. They also prefer an acidic soil, so avoid using any products that contain lime.
Give your Vireya a good watering when it's been potted up, or planted to help it settle in. After that, regular watering is recommended, but try not to over do it.
Maintenance
Mulching will help your plant retain moisture and will also help protect from the cold and frost.
A slow release fertiliser, blood and bone, or a soluble fertiliser at half the recommended rate will help your plant thrive year round.
When flowers start to die off, we recommend you carry our a light prune to encourage new growth and maintain a neat shape.
Problem Solving
There may come a time when your Vireya isn't looking it's best. This could be for a number of reason which we'll explain below.
Mealy Bugs can distort and stunt new growth on your plant. If they become an issue, they can be treated with White Oil.
Azalea Lace Bugs can discolour older leaves and leave small white dots on the foliage. The Lace Bugs will be visible on the underside of the leaves. We recommend using a product called Confidor for treatment.
Pale new growth can be a sign of iron or magnesium deficiency. To correct this, you can use FE Chelates (Iron Chelate) and MgS04 (Magnesium Sulphate).
Any Acid Toner that is recommended for Azalea's will also be suitable for Vireya's.
More Information
If you still have questions or concerns, you can always get in contact with our knowledgeable team who will be more than happy to give you a few pointers.
Here's some of our varieties.
Where can I buy vireya in Qld
Hi Lillian,
You can buy our Tropical Rhododendron Vireya at Bunnings stores in QLD. We are sending out a number of 200mm pots into stores next week. We also grow 140mm pots. If there is a particular variety you are after you could request a customer order in store. Hope this helps!!
Hello,
Your Vireyas are so beautiful. Do they grow ok in Cairns please? Some people say it is too hot and wet for them here. I would love to have some in the garden.
With thanks in advance
Hi Felicity,
Vireya Rhododendron’s are tropical and like high humidity, although they would likely do better in the highlands, like in Kuranda, they still will grow in Cairns. The Cairn’s Botanical Gardens have just started their own Vireya section in their gardens last week, so if they feel confident I would too. They do like air movement and part shade/sun. Hope this helps!!
I would like to buy a small vireya (if there is such a thing) To grow in pot. when will your next order go to Bunnings. Been looking there but they only have a few.
Hi Pat,
Our 140mm Vireya are a bit limited at the moment but you can head into your local Bunnings store and request a customer order for them. If there are any particular varieties you are after they can put this in the notes section for us and we will supply them to you if they are available.
Our next lot of Vireya 140mm will be ready in about 6-8 weeks and will have a lot more options ready to go into stores then.
Hope this helps 😊
My Vireya, Coral Seas has some brown patches on the leaves. I have it in a pot, it had a flower on it which did not open fully. It is in quite a small pot, indoors, in a south facing window and is quite leggy at the moment. We have had quite a cold winter here. I live in South Australia. Just wondering if I should wait until Spring until I repot it? Please advise
Hi Kate,
Brown spots on the leaves can be from multiple reasons. It may be overwatering, coldburn, disease or lack of airflow (they need a little breeze). They are not really suited to being an indoor plant due to lack of airflow but it will be okay to leave it inside throughout this winter. The flower likely did not open due to the cold as the bud can be damaged by frost or very low temperatures. Our horticulurist advises to repot in Spring once it warms up, keep them in a warm (humid) but shady area outside if possible and do not overwater. Hope this helps 🙂
My Vireya has been doing very well in a large pot, flowering almost continually for the last couple of years but has just been attacked by the azalea lace bug. I have treated it but am wondering if it is time to repot and prune it. It is about 2 metres tall and a bit leggy. How far could I cut it back and would it be okay to do it now, I live in Brisbane. Would it be too much to repot and prune at the same time?
Thank you
Penny
Hi Penny,
Yes, you can repot and prune now, at the same time 🙂 Our horticulturist recommends to only cut one major branch back at a time and wait for it to reshoot before pruning the next (e.g. if it has two main branches) and do not cut below the foliage/leaves to avoid plant death. Hope this helps!!
Bought two pots from Bunnings. Can I put them into large pots (approx 200 litres potting mix ) straight away. Have studied your requirements for good growth. Thank you Bill
Hi Bill,
Our horticulturist does not recommend planting into such large pots straight away. He likened it to throwing yourself in the middle of the ocean with nothing to hold onto! The Vireya like their roots compacted close together. Hope this helps 🙂
Hi,
My Vireya is about 4yrs old and has thrived up till now.
I potted it into a very large pot a couple of years ago .
Over the last summer which was very wet, here in Brisbane, though it’s under cover.
I have treated it now and then with white oil but now it’s struggling and some leaves have gone brown.
Should I prune off the poorer branches and re-treat with oil, or could this be due to over watering and it just needs fertiliser and left to recover?
The soil level has gone down.
Appreciate any advice and thank you.
Sonya
Hi Sonya,
It definitely has been a very wet summer!! Vireya’s do not like to be too wet and really need good air flow even if undercover. As it could be due to overwatering I would hold off cutting it back too harshly although a little trimming shouldn’t hurt it. Our horticulturist always suggests repotting with new potting mix every 12-24 months to ensure the health of the potted plant rather than just re-fertilising. Hope this helps!
Can they grow in london
Hi Kathy,
These tropical plants would struggle to thrive in London’s climate, especially considering the temperature and humidity levels. However, in a controlled environment like a glasshouse, where conditions can be adjusted, it becomes possible to cultivate and nurture them more effectively.
My garden soil is much more dense than that which I have seen at the Roma Street parkland where the vireya look magnificent. What can I use to loosen up the soil so they don’t get water logged eg can I chop up fronds from a tree fern and from a foxtail palm and mix that through the soil – please 🙂
Hi Francis
Sorry for the late reply. The usual person who responds to these questions is away on leave at the moment.
I have checked in with our horticulturist, and he has suggested to mix composted organic matter and sand into the garden bed, and to make raised garden beds for better drainage. Hope this helps.
Hello
These are stunning!
I’m at Coolangatta and was wondering which Bunnings store I would be able to purchase from please
Thanks
Hi Sarah
Thanks for you inquiry.
We do supply South Tweed Heads Bunnings with Vireya’s, which would probably be close to where you are. We have not sent them Vireya’s for a couple of weeks, so you can give them a call to check their availability before you make the drive.
We do have a number of assorted 140mm varieties, so if they did not have what you were looking for, We may have it in stock here, and you might be able to request a customer order at the gardening section.
Was there any particular variety/colour you were looking for?
Thanks Kym.
Hi, My Coral seas vireysa I bought a few months ago has just put on a heap of flowers and looked healthy until it wasn’t. The leaves have started to brown and fade from the edges before dropping. It gets morning sun and mostly consistent watering. I haven’t repotted it since purchasing. Can you help? I thought I was nailing their care