Forum home› The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Need help identifying this plant please

simonashbourne72simonashbourne72 Posts: 2
in The potting shed


Hello, I have this plant with a lovely flower, but it needs tlc.  Looks scruffy most of the year and only flowers briefly around this time of year.  Image searches say it’s Rhodedendron Forrestii but it’s not an evergreen and not ground cover.  Need to understand pruning and care to get the best out of it.

it gets good light but I’m not sure about soil quality.

I would really appreciate some guidance on this, I’m a pretty rubbish gardener, and have even managed to kill cactii but it’s nice to get in the garden at the moment.  I can only get better anyway.

Thanks in advance.

Posts

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    edited May 2020
    Not all are evergreen. Leaves look as if they need something but can't remember if it shows a lack of magnesium or something else.
    They only need dead or diseased wood pruned and flowers gently removed after they have finished.
    Make sure they get plenty of water late summer into autumn time as that's when they form next year's flowers.
    If you can get a soil testing kit it might help as they like a more acid soil.
  • Simon Wright3Simon Wright3 Posts: 34
    The leaves are lacking iron. Iron deficiency. Lovely Rhododendon by the way!!!. Lovely colour too.
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    Needs a good feed with an ericaceous fertiliser. Think either Lidl or Aldi were advertising it recently.
  • simonashbourne72simonashbourne72 Posts: 2
    Thanks for the responses, it really is lovely when it flowers, complete contrast to it’s pathetic look for the rest of the year.  Will get some of the iron rich fertiliser and make sure it gets lots of water later in the year.
Sign In or Register to comment.