"sarabecca" wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks so much for your help! The plant is in a pot and I'll try
re-potting it. Is there anything I can look for in the roots that
would give me an idea of the plants health?

I found the name of the plant, its Eugenia stipitata, it grows as a
bush in the Azores with waxy green leaves and produces a small hard
shelled fruit about the size of a lemon at its biggest. Until the
fruit reaches maturity it is green then turns yellow.


Generally (not addressing this plant in particular), roots should snap like
a fresh carrot when you break one. Obviously, hair-thin roots won't do this.
And, if the plant has a tap root (one central, main pointed root like a
carrot or parsnip), you don't want to experiment by breaking it if the
plant's already in trouble. Try cutting back the stems a very little bit at
a time. It's possible you may find some green within, which means there's
still some life. If so, cut back to the next lowest "node", or little bump
in the bark.

Get the plant out of the sun, too. Not many plants want their roots baked,
but that's exactly what happens with potted plants outdoors. If you can't
get it to a shady spot, bring it indoors for now. Basically, you're limited
to a little investigating, and eliminating the adverse factors that a
healthy plant might be able to put up with.

Finally, ask your mother what's up with this passive aggressive behavior.