Hi All
I have a multi color buddleia that was doing great. Then the 107 degree days came and it looked bad. Leaves drooping, some crispy. I water well. Little leaves appeared on the main stalk. I watered again well. Now it appears that some nice branches are turning grey then almost blackish brown.
Do these lovelies get fungal diseases? I have fungus of many types in my garden, and have watered more than usual in the evening.
have you had this experience? What's the remedy?
thank you
cynthia
Help Buddleia Fungus or something worse?
Hi Cynthia! Is your Buddleia new? Did you just plant it this summer? I put in a new baby about a month ago and mine doesn't look so good either. It looked great at first and even bloomed. As it began getting hotter and hotter most of the leaves turned brown. It had just a few new growth green leaves but now they are gone too. I watered it well but tried not to overwater. I think sometimes I overwater and that may be the case with your plant too. Everything above the soil line on mine looks dead and sort of black looking like yours. I'm just hoping the roots are still alive. Mine doesn't have the appearance of a fungus though. Just looks dead from stress.
Evening watering can sometimes promote more fungus problems. Sometimes though that's the only time people have time to water. What does yours look like by now? You could try a fungicide and see if that would help.
I had a petunia plant in a pot and it got a fungus of some kind. The stems turned a grayish black and looked sort of like smut. I'm sure I overwatered that plant.
Lin
Thanks Dancy
I suspect that mine is dead or dieing from the roots. Right now, there are a few branches with green leaves on the edges but the rest of the plant seems gone.
It was new in January.
I have a brother who's a horticulture professor. I'll see him tomorrow. His first response when I described it: Well, it's not a hard plant to replace. When I sounded really sad he said it might be too much fertilizer....to let a slow drip really drench the area. Then said to cut a branch and bring it with me.
I might have some info soon
cynthia
'well it's not a hard plant to replace' I laughed at that. ;) My little plant only cost me $3.50 I think. So I won't have lost a whole lot if mine is dead. I put my plant in early summer and didn't fertilize it but once. I wanted it to get a good root system before I fed it very much.
I'm hoping the rain we got will help mine. I'm so tempted to go out and cut a branch off to see if it's green. I'll just be patient and wait.
LIn
Mine was 4 ft tall and blooming a few weeks ago. I try no to feel guilty, but I do.
When my brother gives me plants he tells me that I don't have to keep them for years. They might be cuttings from common hibiscus or something. He says that because I DO keep them or try to.
I'll let you know what I learn. I see that mine is dying from the base of the branch out.
c