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.
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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 the UK
- 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
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