I have it in a pot and it tends to always have bad leaves. They get brown, brittle and eventually fall off. Here is a pic. I'm guessing it's either staying too wet or too dry. Or maybe it's a disease? Anyone know what's going on? Thanks! Janet
Sweet Almond Bush/Incense Bush and yucky leaves!
Another pic.
It's located on my patio and gets mostly shade now and may be in part sun soon. Of course I can put it anywhere it needs to go!
Plant it :0)
Perhaps there is a way to make them thrive, but I'm convinced they hate pot culture. I had one given to me in the middle of July. I was worried it was too hot to plant out, so I moved it all over the place trying to keep it happy. It did the same thing yours is doing now. Once I planted it in the ground, it was perfectly happy and healthy looking. One of my favorites! The smell is simply amazing, fills my entire yard with its sweet scent.
Yes, Cocoa is right...I have raised them for years and they do not like the greenhouse in the winter or being forced to stay in pots with confined roots...and I am convinced that the butterflies can tell the difference!...they won't go near the ones in the pots!!
How interesting! Thanks for your input. What light conditions do you think they like best? Full, hot TX sun or part shade?
Mine gets sun from around noon till sunset. I think they could easily take full Texas sun all day, But wait for Tracy to confirm :0)
They are not what I would consider a designer landscaping plant. Mine gets tall and not the best habit or shape. Best in the back of a tall border, where it's shape doesn't matter. But then again, mine die back to the ground each year. I think they might be denser growing where they don't go dormant.
Txaggiegal, do you propagate yours? This is one of those plants that gives me fits trying to root, any suggestions?
Yes, I do propagate from cuttings and have no problem. I usually have 100 or so Almond Verbenas per season...normally such a great butterfly plant.
Mine does not seem to get lanky where I have 'them'...I put 3 in sun and does not get any shade until late afternoon. It gets about 4' tall and maintains a nice shape for me...I let the catnip, daylily and lavender fill in around the base of the almond verbena...and it forms a nice little colony for the butterflies.
I do use it in natural landscaping, especially for clients that was to grow for butterflies...it is one of my required triads for butterflies for more than 20 years...But then perhaps the differences may be in the amount of weather between Grand Saline and Belton...you get more water and I tend to treat it more as a arid plant once it is established. My FL friend tells me it gets 15' high there and arches....and she actually knows what rain is like.
Cuttings, any time, mixture and misting bed...