Embothriums

I planted an Embothrium some 15 years ago in what is now my mother's garden, and it settled down to flowering within about 2 years. It had certainly flowered at least twice by the time my father died 10 years ago - it was his favourite flower colour. I was told, when buying it, to plant it in ordinary unimproved soil and leave off the feeding (most Proteaceae seem to detest rich living) and it's never been fed apart from what's in the ground. Over at my mother's last weekend, it was just about to finish flowering, and the shrub's about 12' in height.

I'm told that there is a yellow-flowered form of this species, not yet in cultivation. I can see that such a plant would probably take the horticultural trade by storm, although surely the whole point of embothriums is that orange-red colouring? For those of us living in decidedly cool climes, this sort of colour is more than welcome. Last week I very nearly bought (& now regret that I didn't) a plant of the distinctly un-Mediterannean, but also distinctly gorgeous, Rhododendron calendulaceum, whose flowers seemed about as hot an orange as it's possible to get.

Einion Hughes,
Rhyl,
Wales  
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