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Please help identify 'shrub' and have I lost it 😞

shadypmshadypm Posts: 63
in Plants
Hello fellow gardeners,

Hoping you can help. I dug this tropical looking shrub from a friends. The root was quite long. I awfully left it out a few days and it has started wilting.

I have since put it in some water and I cut the root down-will this affect its growth? 

Also could someone please tell me the name of this plant.  I WILL plant it tomorrow as in Wednesday for sure. 

I really hope I can salvage my plant.

Your advise is most appreciated. 


Pam 🕊
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Posts

  • shadypmshadypm Posts: 63
    Y
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 28,807
    Looks to me like rhus typhina which is a very easy plant to find in GCs and is easy to grow and somewhat invasive when happy.

    The root is what sends food and water up to the plant and also anchors it in the soil.   Leaving them exposed to wind and air will dry out all the root hairs which are the interface beyween plant and soil.  What you should have done was put the roots in water straight away or heeled the plant into a bare bit of soil till you could plant the thing properly.

    Failing that, the thing to do is reduce the top to lessen stress on the roots.  I'm afraid you've got it the worng way round but you could try potting it into a mix of John Innes no 2 mixed with a similar quantity of mult purpose compost and a half as much again of perlite to lighten to soil and help the roots grow again.  A sprinkling of microrhizal fungae drectly on what's left of the roots might help too.  Water well then stand it in a sheltered spot for winter and make sure the compost doesn't dry out completely but make sure it's raised on bricks or pot feet so it can drain well too or it'll drown.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 11,158
    edited October 2018
    Looks to me like a very unhappy rhus typhina, with not many finer roots. You could try some micorrhizal fungi when you plant it, and cutting back may help take some of the strain off it.  Fingers crossed. Edited - snap obelixx !  :)

  • shadypmshadypm Posts: 63
    Thank you AnniD and Obelixx. I shall plant it and get the micro fungus with some John innes 2 and perlite. I can only but try.

    it is such a pretty shrub. I fear I may have lost it but you never know. 
  • shadypmshadypm Posts: 63
    Obelixx said:
    Looks to me like rhus typhina which is a very easy plant to find in GCs and is easy to grow and somewhat invasive when happy.

    The root is what sends food and water up to the plant and also anchors it in the soil.   Leaving them exposed to wind and air will dry out all the root hairs which are the interface beyween plant and soil.  What you should have done was put the roots in water straight away or heeled the plant into a bare bit of soil till you could plant the thing properly.

    Failing that, the thing to do is reduce the top to lessen stress on the roots.  I'm afraid you've got it the worng way round but you could try potting it into a mix of John Innes no 2 mixed with a similar quantity of mult purpose compost and a half as much again of perlite to lighten to soil and help the roots grow again.  A sprinkling of microrhizal fungae drectly on what's left of the roots might help too.  Water well then stand it in a sheltered spot for winter and make sure the compost doesn't dry out completely but make sure it's raised on bricks or pot feet so it can drain well too or it'll drown.
    I will be planting it outside. Any thing I need to do to help it on more regarding winter?

    thank you 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 28,807
    Remove some of the top growth now or else just try taking off all those leaf stalks as they are transpiring water faster than the bit of root you have left can supply it.  That's why they've drooped and I don't think they'll perk up now.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • shadypmshadypm Posts: 63
    edited October 2018
    Noted! Thank you
  • shadypmshadypm Posts: 63
    Update...the plant has taken! Thank you 
  • Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,142
    From personal experience I wouldn’t plant that in the ground but keep it in the pot. Seems I’m too late with the advice so all the best......
  • shadypmshadypm Posts: 63
    It has started doing something all good :)
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