Re: Lobster Claw
On Fri, 09 Apr 1999 01:49:38 GMT, you wrote:
>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?
>
>Dave Poole
>TORQUAY UK
I have grown Clianthus puniceus many times when I lived in the UK and I
always found the same as you, 3 years is about their life expectancy. I
always had the same die back, first one shoot then another and gradually the
plant would fade away. I have tried it here in Portugal, as I thought it
might do better, but it only lasted 2 years in the hot sun. I don't bother
with it now which is a pity as it is such a nice plant.
Graham Payne in hot(26C), sunny Algarve!
---- David Sturge ---- dpsgkp@mail.telepac.pt ----
Tel/Fax +351 89 992849 or dps@delcam.com
