We have one of these, about four years old, six feet high and wide.
I've just noticed that several large patches have recently died or are
dying (at least half the total), mostly in the centre, although
there's life in other parts with fresh growth around the edge. It's
shedding quantities of fluffy seed ATM.

I'm a bit surprised. Is sudden dieback a feature of this plant, does
anyone know? Can anyone suggest what might have caused it, although I
appreciate that that's an almost impossible question to answer, given
the possibilities. IME it's pretty tough, coping well with salt gales
in the winter, and it's not been exactly drought-stricken recently but
not drowned either. If it got too dry earlier in the year, it seems a
bit late for it to register now.

I shall leave it over the winter as it's a bit late for hard pruning,
and cut it right back in the spring in the hope that the bits still
living will shoot and re-build the over-all structure. Does that seem
reasonable?

It's a lovely shrub IMO, and if it dies completely I'll replace it
with another and hope that does better.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"Janet Baraclough.." wrote in
message ...
The message
from Chris Hogg contains these words:

We have one of these, about four years old, six feet high and
wide.
I've just noticed that several large patches have recently died or
are
dying (at least half the total), mostly in the centre, although
there's life in other parts with fresh growth around the edge.
It's
shedding quantities of fluffy seed ATM.

I'm a bit surprised. Is sudden dieback a feature of this plant,
does
anyone know?

It's a lovely shrub IMO, and if it dies completely I'll replace it
with another and hope that does better.

It's gorgeous isn't it? I don't know if they are subject to sudden
die
back, because mine's only been in for a year or so. I haven't even
tried
cutting it back hard yet.

I'd take some cuttings in case the parent plant is terminally ill.

Janet, I have always been advised never to take cuttings from an
unhealthy plant.

The
good news is that cuttings are as easy to root as fuchsia. Just pull
off
some bits about finger length; slip off the bottom leaves between
your
fingers (I use rooting powder for luck, cue for big thread...Hi
Jane...)

Now you tell us, when this is the year I resolved to try and raise my
cuttings without rooting aids.

and stick half a dozen in a pot of gritty compost, outdoors.

Franz

"Janet Baraclough.." wrote in
message ...
The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains
these words:
Janet said

I'd take some cuttings in case the parent plant is terminally
ill.

Janet, I have always been advised never to take cuttings from an
unhealthy plant.

How do you feel about transplant organs from dead people?

I would be very unhappy about being offered a diseased organ.
What do you think the consequences of propagating cuttings from sick
elms would have been?

[snip]

Franz

On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 20:38:39 +0100, Janet Baraclough..
wrote:



I'd take some cuttings in case the parent plant is terminally ill.The
good news is that cuttings are as easy to root as fuchsia. Just pull off
some bits about finger length; slip off the bottom leaves between your
fingers (I use rooting powder for luck, cue for big thread...Hi Jane...)
and stick half a dozen in a pot of gritty compost, outdoors.

Janet.

Thanks for that suggestion. Cuttings taken, Franz's reservations
notwithstanding, but I'm not saying whether I used rooting powder :-)


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net