In article ,
Sacha wrote:

We've had a letter from a frequent visitor to the nursery who lives in
Wisbech. She says that some years ago they bought a Holboellia and that
it's a vigorous and healthy plant. She couldn't remember the name but
thought it was a jasmine and wrote to us asking for the ID. As a PS,
she said that it forms buds beautifully but then they fall off. She
thinks it's because of the cold but as it forms buds and the plant
itself is unscathed, we suspect it's because it's too dry. But we
wondered if anyone else in that area has experience of this problem
with a Holboellia?

I suppose it could be a late frost that's hitting it but again, the
leaves appear not to be touched at all. We've suggested that she gives
it a good drink in dry spells and particularly if it's in the rain
shadow of the house. If anyone else living 'up there' has any
experience of this, we'd love to hear about it.

Yes, definitely. I gave up on it after a few years of that. Like
many plants, its buds are a lot more sensitive than its leaves.
Indeed, its mature leaves are extremely hardy, and only the very
young ones even approach the buds in tenderness.

And it was definitely the frost that did it in some years, but it
could have been just being too cold for too long in others. The
plant could have been dry immediately under its stem, but there
was plenty of water where its roots will have got to.

I haven't yet been able to actually KILL it, of course :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.