In article , "Steve"
wrote:

I am in SE Wisconsin (sometimes Zone 4, sometimes Zone5 depending on what
guide I use). Last year I planted a Hummingbird Summersweet. It did
wonderfully all year. This year, I thought it had died off over winter as I
had seen zero signs of growth - a scratch test of the stems shows dull white
and somewhat dried out branches. No signs of green budding, growth, etc up
to today. Today, I notice two very tiny and very lonely buds on a branch
near the ground. Still no signs of anything else anywhere else on the plant.
I'm wondring if it is suffering second season blues, an extremely late
grower, or if it is dying off. Whats the best way to tell?

I'm also wondering if its a suitable plant for SE Wisconsin. Last year it
was at all the garden centers and nurseries, this year - no one carries it.
It says Zone 3-9. The other interesting thing is it says leaves yellow and
drop in fall. My leaves were hardy green to the end of fall and didn't
yellow or drop until into winter. Maybe its suffering from some off timing??

thanks for any tips!

In my mild zone it never suffers winter damage but in yours it probably
does, though you won't know what needs trimming out until it is well
releafed. A general refreshing pruning (it blooms best on newish wood) is
usually done in early spring before it leafs out, but removing
winter-damaged tips can't be judged till later.

I bought my clethra a couple years back in spring for an enormous discount
because the nursery didn't want to keep it around until it leafed out. It
is always just about the last thing to regain its leaves, but then it
keeps its leaves longer into autumn.

-paghat the ratgirl
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