The article 'Shelf Life of Vireya Seed' on the link below should provide some insight on how to germinate the seeds. Good luck, Luis Here is a link that might be useful: Shelf Life of Vireya Seed

Hi D'Ann, I am glad you bought a hybrid rather than a specie as they seem to me to be easier to grow. Tropic Glow is Vireya laetum X Vireya zoelleri - laetum is yellow and comes from around 6,000 ft in New Guinea and zoelleri is orange and comes from sea level to about 6,000 ft in New Guinea also. The hope with this, is that the zoelleri makes the cross able to tolerate the heat and warm night time temperatures we have here, where as laetum by itself probably would not. If Tropic Glow was on a list suitable for Florida then it should be OK. I think Pacific Island Nursery is very reliable - also Bovees in Portland Oregon. When you choose future plants I would find a flower you like, such as from the Pacific Island web site and then find out its' parentage and then google the parents to find out the altitude they are growing at naturally. As you can see zoelleri is very adaptable whereas the laetum is much less so. Hybrids with both parents coming from sea level would be the easiest for Florida conditions, such as zoelleri X macgregoriae. V. macgregoriae is very floriferous with small orange flowers and grows from sea level to about 10,000 ft in New Guinea and is a very easy vireya to grow - although I would still stick to the hybrids rather than a specie. I think that for growing vireyas in Florida, the altitude of the parents is the most important consideration, because although vireyas come from the Asian tropics, the temperature they tolerate is governed by the altitude they occur in. Just as orchids that grow naturally above about 3,000 ft do not usually survive here, vireyas seem to be the same and the problem is not the heat and humidity during the daytime but the lack of a fall in temperature at night time in summer, which occurs with altitude. After the altitude thing, culture is very important - as I mentioned before, think orchids and they like to be positioned on top of the medium, not buried in it. It must be well draining , no wet feet. However they don't like to dry out like a succulent would - more of a good soaking, then dry then another good soaking as you would treat an orchid. I gave all my vireyas away several years ago when we moved house and I still have not restarted growing them. Perhaps you will be able to tell me which ones you have success with. Denise.

beautiful,is it called Vireya gardenia. The scented ones are an added bonus. Heather

Hi Michelle I think japonica means something to do with Japan Either grown there or a native from there. Sorry I dont know anything about your Vireya Rhododendron. Have a look at the link below I am sure it will answer all your questions. Plenty there about culivation under Information. Cheers..MM. Here is a link that might be useful: Vireya Rhododendron