Ceanothus dead
patannie
Posts: 11
I have a ceanothus "Italian skies" which appears to have died. It has been established a few years and flowered well last year. However this year a lot of it appears to be dead with no foliage buds. There are some small buds but some of them are dying off. Was this due to the cold weather or has it been overshadowed by my forsythia bush which appears to have spread over the ceanothus. Or is there some other reason.
0
Posts
The RHS page says the following "They are fast-growing but may be short-lived" and "may be affected by phytophthora root disease"!
Here some info on the root disease:
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=542
My neighbours massive Ceanothus died last year. My Ceanothus, which was probably planted around the same time when the house was built in 1996 is still looking OK, but I think it's on borrowed time. It has gone rather woody and I can't cut it back as it doesn't grow from old wood. Although I (and the bees) love the blue flowers I'm already think about its replacement. I planted a clematis thru it two years ago, which flowers after the Ceanothus has finished - looks good too!
hi
Thankyou to those who answered my query. Whilst feeling sad on the lose of my Italian skies I will be looking for another ceanothus BUT will not plant in same
place.
Do not give up just yet. Winter before last I lost several due to the very cold weather, but several produced late new growth low down that didn't show until late May. I cut them back to just above the new buds and they have recovered.
Mine looked dead after last winter but I cut it right back. It now has 2 main stems, one with lots of flower buds, the other is dead. I'll enjoy the blue, then it goes.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I have two and both shoot from old wood quite happily.
OK I will leave italian skies to possibly recover. BUT I still might buy another type to plant elsewhere. I quite like the foliage on "Lemon and Lime." Has anyone had experience of this shrub. Many thanks all