Caryopteris Wilt?
Forum Archives
HarleyLady
Location: Willamette Valley
Posted: May-12-2005 at 9:20pm
I have a caryopteris that is wilting on one side of the plant. I checked carefully around the base thinking that perhaps the PITA dog had run through it and broken a branch or that since it's located next to the driveway it might have been run over but there's no damage other than the wilting. It's in full sun and an area that drains well. Any ideas?
HarleyLady
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-13-2005 at 7:05am
I'm worried about mine too. I just planted it late last summer. All the branches died but I read they can do that in cold areas and resprout from the ground like a perennial but I still see no signs of life.
Fern
HarleyLady
Location: Willamette Valley
Posted: May-13-2005 at 7:45am
Fern, I planted mine late last summer also. Mine did not die back, just went dormant over the winter, but leafed out nicely in early April. I have two others that appear fine. I researched to see if they are susceptible to any of the wilt diseases and couldn't find any information that is pertinent.
I'm wondering if they don't like all the rain we've been having since they're drought-tolerant plants. The one that is wilting is located close to the driveway so maybe the compaction is enough to affect the drainage on that one plant. It may not be coincidental that the droopy side of the plant is closest to the driveway, but it's so small, I would think the whole plant would be affected. .
HarleyLady
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-13-2005 at 7:18pm
My soil is only moderatly drained and stays cool a long time. It's planted with a lot of those spanish bluebells, it sure would have been a nice plant to add some summer blue color, but maybe it's just not the right place. I'm not giving up hope yet, I've had plants sprout really late in the season. The wilting you have is always a sign I dread, but maybe it will recover. Never give up hope!
Fern
HarleyLady
Location: Willamette Valley
Posted: Jun-02-2005 at 7:23pm
Update: Didn't figure out exactly what offed my caryopteris but I did figure out why only "half" of the plant wilted. As I was digging plants for the move today, the caryopteris revealed itself to be actually TWO plants (never noticed when I bought it) and only one is affected--a very pleasant surprise !
HarleyLady
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Jun-02-2005 at 8:11pm
I'm glad you had some plants that made it. What a big job you have ahead of you, moving all thoses plants! I have thought that only good thing about moving is that you can learn from the mistakes in your old yard, and I wouldn'd plant invasive ones again! My caryopteris seems to be dead. I might try it one more time and if it dies again I will give up on it in that location.
Fern
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Oct-27-2005 at 9:59am
I have talked to more people about this plant and a lot of people say it didn't live over the winter. Some had well drained soil. And we are talking about the mild winters we've had lately. So want is up with this plant? Maybe it doesn't transplant well? It is a mystery to me but I'm less inclined to try another one from the reports I've heard. And it seems not to flower for very long, at least not the ones in pots at the nursery. I still like the blue flowers.
Fern
HarleyLady
Location: Willamette Valley
Posted: Oct-27-2005 at 2:27pm
Fern, the ones I moved from the old house settled in nicely at the new house and bloomed all summer.
Now, to see if they make it through the winter...
HarleyLady
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton