Ceanothus
- Subject: Ceanothus
- From: m* v* <v*@sbcglobal.net>
- Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:30:00 -0700
Hello All,
I have a ceanothus "Dark Star" that has thrived and done really well
for the past five years, but
suddenly, roughly one half of the plant has leaves that are paling,
yellowing, while the other half is still
its usual lustrous dark green.
The plant has two large main trunks (originally it was one plant) so
upon checking closer I noticed that the
discoloration is stemming from just one of those trunks.
This ceanothus is away from summer water. I never feed it. It thrives
pretty much on its own.
I have had other smaller perennial shrubs do this too : One half dies
off and then eventually the other half dies too.
Is this a symptom oak root fungus (which plagues my garden somewhat)?
Has the ceanothus merely
peaked after 4 or 5 years (I was under the impression they can be
short lived)? Is this chlorosis ( the plant is growing
pretty much in sand) ?
Can or should I do anything to try to help it? (Cut the afflicted
trunk at soil level? Feed the drip zone or spray the plant with iron?
Irrigate it with some B-1? Just wait it out and hope for the best?)
Thanks, if anyone has any advice or feedback.
Michael Vella
Central Coast of California
