Ahhhh, okay so you think this maybe a variegated variety. I never thought about that I just assumed it will sick due to the new growth being green. However I will post further pictures of the flower buds as I'm certain they are suffering, the tips of the buds are curling back on themselves whereas the new growth shows healthy compact flower buds. Also this doesn't explain why it only flower on the healthy/new growth.

thanks for you reply and I will post some more pictures soon :)

steve

Ahhhh, okay so you think this maybe a variegated variety. I never thought about that I just assumed it will sick due to the new growth being green. However I will post further pictures of the flower buds as I'm certain they are suffering, the tips of the buds are curling back on themselves whereas the new growth shows healthy compact flower buds. Also this doesn't explain why it only flower on the healthy/new growth.

thanks for you reply and I will post some more pictures soon :)

steve

With that variegation pattern, I'd suspect this to be Rhododendron ponticum 'Variegatum'. It is known to be prone to reversion and sparse blooming. Someone I know locally that grows and cares for a great number of rhodies says this: "The Variegated Pontus Rhododendron may also flower less reliably because the buds are susceptible to fungal blight or buds can fail to open from being blasted by the sun. The sun-stressed specimen I've photographed has not flowered mightily, & will likely do better when the maple's spread provides it a more dappled sunlight, but it has performed semi-well & is certainly never in any manner unpleasant."

Here are the photos of the flower buds

And these are the buds that look like they are suffering

And some of the brown buds

Which yes failed to open.

so what do I do? Do I snip off the green leaved shoots? I don't really want to because these reliable produce the flower however they are growing faster than the other shoots and make for a strange contrasting appestance. I will take more pictures of the flower when they develop.

But at least I now know this is in actually fact a variegated variety and that maybe it does suffer from Bud blight which explains why the person I got it off says it only ever flowered every couple or so years. Maybe position it in so dappled shade or half day shade too?

Thanks for all your replies guys much appreciated.

Steve

Cut out the green parts. If the variegated cultivar (with its flower bud problems) is not to your taste maybe give the plant to somebody else. It should be moved anyway as the current planting site it much too small for it.

Ok I've done some research on this variety and now understand it much better. Thanks for your input Em, I will prune out the green shoots and move it to a more shady area. Em do you mean the pot it's planted in is to small or that it's against the wall?

Steve

Steve, are you in the British Isles? The green version of Rhododendron ponticum is very vigorous here and is an invasive species. If you don't have an acid soil pot culture is recommended but you do need to use a potting compost labelled for Ericaceous plants and it needs to be renewed every few years. The reverted green part looks chlorotic so that shows it's time for a repot.

Yes! England, This Rhodo is around 10 years old maybe slightly more so yes this varagted variety is slow growing. Yes okay brill thanks for that I'll get that Ericaceous compost in and give it a bigger container. With the reverted shoots, what makes you say that they look chlorotic?

Thanks for your reply!

The contrast between the darker leaf veins and the yellowish leaves.

Ah okay thank you all :)