Lophomyrtus × ralphii 'Red Dragon'
New Zealand myrtle 'Red Dragon'
'Red Dragon' is an evergreen shrub, reaching 1.5m, with small, round, slightly puckered, pinkish-red leaves that turn a deep burgundy colour when temperatures fall. Mature plants produce small, white, scented, cup-shaped flowers with a mass of stamens in late summer, followed by black berries.
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink Red | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | White | Pink Red | ||
| Autumn | Pink Red | Black | ||
| Winter | Pink Red |
Position
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H3Botanical details
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Lophomyrtus are evergreen shrubs or small trees with simple, leathery leaves, four-petaled flowers with prominent stamens and purple-black to red berries
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in bright, filtered light. In mild areas grow outdoors in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered position in partial shade
Propagation
Root semi-ripe heel cuttings in summer with bottom heat
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Patio and container plants
- Hedging and screens
- Wall side borders
- Cut flowers
Pruning
Pests
May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.