Chinese lantern not doing well

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Just_Jack Pace, FL(Zone 8b) Sep 07, 2010

My husband received a chinese lantern plant as a gift early this year but it had no identification tag or instructions with it. It had variegated leaves that looked like maple leaves and red lantern flowers. We've just recently moved to zone 8 and I'm still getting used to what grows here and since I didn't know if it would survive a freeze, I planted it in a large pot and put it in part sun/part shade and it was doing really well until just this past week when all the leaves started falling off and the few remaining leaves shriveled up and died. I never saw any bugs on it or any indication that anything was wrong. Is there any way to save it or does anyone have any idea what might have happened to it? It was a memorial plant for a son who is no longer with us and I would really like to save it if anyone can help.

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flowAjen central, NJ(Zone 6b) Sep 07, 2010

According to plant files it is hardy 7b-10b, some varieties are 9a-11. It needs full sun- part shade and says not to overwater it.
Is the pot big enough?

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CLScott Calgary, Canada Sep 11, 2010

We can grow the Chinese lantern plant here in zone 3.
It does well in good drainage sites.
It is easy to grow from seeds--just scattering the seeds in spring.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Sep 11, 2010

If you could post a picture of it, it might be easier to figure out what's wrong with it. My initial guess is that it's a watering issue so you might check and see if the soil a few inches down in the pot feels really wet. Or really dry. I don't think they like to dry out too much between waterings, but staying too wet won't be good for them either.

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Sep 14, 2010

Depending on what plant you have, some are perennial and this sounds to me like this is the natural die back started for end of flowering season, I used to grow this here in UK and had to get rid as it began to take over the whole garden by sending out runners and these in turn flowered, sent out more runners and so it went on, so if I were you, I would keep it in the pot till next year when it begins to show new growth, then have a look at the root by dropping the plant from the pot, IF the roots are very fleshy, then be careful as this will indicate it will spread rapid which is fine so long as you know this happens. Remember to keep the plant / pot in a sheltered area over winter and watch out for new growth in spring, then place it where you want it to grow. good luck, WeeNel.

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kittriana Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a) Sep 14, 2010

It should go dormant in cold weather and will start back up from the roots at ground level- they are like our Confederate roses, but more apt to spread than this one, it survived the ice and snow-rare here, but we cut it to ground level every other year or so

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