Urgent help for drooping daphne, please! Hello, I just bought a daphne odora 'aureomarginata' a few weeks ago. It was left in its pot for a week or two, and it's leaves started to droop severely (see photo). So I put it in the ground a few days ago and watered it well. It's been 3 days now, and the leaves are still drooping, with NO improvement at all. I am desperate for help! What can I do to save my daphne? Thank you!
The weather here has been quite cool these past weeks, with a lot of rain. Actually, it is very unusual weather here for this time of year.
Daphnes seem to up and die for no apparent reason. They need well drained...and no mulch. They like a neutral soil. Yours really looks pretty bad....I think you may have lost it.
It may if you are lucky drop those leaves and make new ones. But I must sat it looks miserable. As said well drained soil . Mine actually grows in old gravelly soil from the drive way. Its now a 20 year old plant I made from a cutting. It is a varigated one that has the lovely perfumed winter flowers. I do mulch mine and feed it a little blood and bone each year. Also my base soil is acidic. The same soil that keeps Hydrangeas blue and grows great Camellias, Azaleas and Rhodos http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1866614.htm Liz
That is interesting. As Dirr says "Daphne culture is akin to voodoo medicine".....he also says mulch on a Daphne is the kiss of death. Well..you just have to trial and error with these plants. You are lucky to have one that old Liz. Ph range of 6 to 7....can tolerte Ph of 4.5.
Thanks for all your responses. Sadly, my dapne has not improved and will probably die soon... I saw that Liz said she propagate her daphne from a cutting, so I tried doing that from a cutting of this plant, even though it's not an ideal cutting for propagation. I thought I should at least try.
Yes, success with cutting taken from specimen in such condition most unlikely. I'd like to know what, specifically it is about mulch that is supposed to be detrimental. For one thing, all different kinds of stuff are used as mulch.
I agree Ron. A forest is full of mulch. For some reason we as gardeners are often into the scrape clean syndrome. Our drought has certainly taught me to appreciate mulch not only from the point of view of food, weed suppression and water retention but to keep roots cool or I would suggest in northern winters to keep them warm. Birds love to get food and it makes for an all round healthy environment. Liz
I can only say that it is what I have heard. They are very susceptable to Phytophthera cinnamonea which likes high organic soils and wet conditions. If you are having great success with using mulch and have a twenty year old shrub......keep on mulching.
