"Steve Wolstenholme" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:56:04 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

Ceanothus do just die when they reach a certain age and
although the cause may well be fungal it is not necessaraly going to
affect
anything else, clear the ground revitilise the soil and if replacing with
another evergreen wait till spring.

Any idea what the "certain age" is?

I've had one for about 15 years.

Steve

If the going is easy and they have grown quickly they tend to go quicker but
even in dry ground 15 is getting to old age, the one exception I have
noticed is Ceanothus Trewithian Blue which is a big tree like plant and you
do seem to be able to cut this back hard and prolong its life somewhat.

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cultivars