RE: Lobster Claw

Dave Poole said:

I've got a 3 year old Clianthus puniceus which is about 8ft across and
has been flowering superbly since January.  I decide to tidy it up
today - removing the dried on flowers which tend to make it look messy
as it goes over and noticed that several branches appear to be dying
back.  There is no obvious damage or fungal infection and the stems
seem perfectly sound.  However the new shoots are just drying up and
dying as though they have been blasted with frost or a freezing wind.
It is in a wind sheltered spot so cold blasts can be ruled out.  Also,
we've not had any frost for over 7 weeks (and then at 31F. it was
barely below freezing) and for the past 10 days at least, night
temperatures have not fallen below 55.  As a precaution, I cut the
affected branches out at the base, although there does not seem to be
any disease whatsoever.  This has me puzzled, I've never seen this
before, even on plants in more exposed spots.  Any ideas anyone?
Tony, Moira - does this happen in New Zealand?
---

Well Dave, the only thing that springs to mind is that Clianthus puniceus 
is a fairly short-lived shrub. I have never succeeded in growing one for 
more than five years maximum (of course that may just be me). As a result I 
try to take cuttings after 2 to 3 years to ensure I have a new plant ready 
for when the old one dies. I know 3 years is not very old, but 8 feet is 
quite big, and if it has been flowering well, that may be the reason it is 
now dying back - it has done its dash.

This species is almost unknown in the wild now, with perhaps only a dozen 
or so plants left in just one part of the country, near Lake Waikaremoana 
in the North Island. Of course, there are lots in people's gardens. In New 
Zealand it is known as the Kaka Beak (Kaka is a New Zealand parrot with a 
beak that is, of course, shaped exactly like a C. puniceus flower).

Tim Dutton
"Raindrops", Main Road North, Kaitoke, Upper Hutt, New Zealand
(Latitude 41? 5' South, Longitude 175? 10' East)
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