Cunningham White Rhododendron - help
tony williams2
Posts: 286
Hi I have a two year old white rhododendron, it is in a pot in a woodland setting, in the correct compost and I water it with rainwater. The first year it put on growth and flowered it was great. This second year it is not doing anything at all, and I think it is dying as the leaves are turned down and looks like it is wilting. It is aprox 2ft 6in tall (without pot) and is placed near an Azalea. The Azalea is doing well and no problem. Can anyone tell me what the problem is or what to do with it please. (pic shows it in the greenhouse, as I have brought it in to check no ants have infested, which they haven't).
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Did you check the roots for vine weevil larvae? I find those planted in the ground here in my garden often show signs of vine weevil attack on the foliage (I have enlarged the image and am sure I can see one or two obvious nibbles) but since they are larger shrubs in the ground they don't seem affected by the grubs.
Hi AngieR, yes i looked for any pest but found none, it's weird but this has happened to me before i find i can't keep rhodys for more than 2/3 years same thing happens the plant just seems to switch itself off ! Yet i keep Azaleas and don't have any trouble.
HELP Tony.
I don't have much experience in growing things in pots tony but I do have lots of experience seeing Rhoddies after frost. It hadn't been hit by a frost had it? They do tend to droop like this but generally pick themselves up later in the day.
Is it in soil based Ericaceous compost? Worth a try if not.
Yes I would wonder what soil it was.
In my other thought is if it being watered from a water butt could there be any nasty bugs algae or such in the water . I really don't know about water butts .
The rather sad leaves do not look as if they are going yellow which happens if Rhodos are in alkaline soil.
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
They're not ideal pot specimens in my opinion - not long term anyway. Especially that kind of variety. Healthy rhodies shrug off vine weevil damage, and rarely do the grubs attack the roots sufficiently that they die. In pots - they're more vulnerable to all sorts of issues.
If you want one for a pot, you're better sticking with the evergreen azaleas. Rhodies have grand ambitions.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi all thanks for all your replies,it was potted up in ericaceous compost and we havent had any frosts so it could be the wee nasties in my water butt ( i thought water butts are recommended for watering) so i think Fairy Girl might be correct as i've had this problem before with rhody's. I think i'll stick with azeleas in future. Thanks again for all your help much appreciated.
Tony.