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Buddleia problems

thelahdeedahthelahdeedah Posts: 6
in Problem solving
Hello, 
Would anyone be able to explain what’s going on with my buddleia? It is producing these very sparse and small flowers, it did the same last year.  Some of the leaves are yellowing and the newer leaves have what I assume is tortrix moth caterpillars that have curled the leaves around them.  Is it these that are likely to be causing the poor flowering, or are these separate problems?

any advice appreciated 🙂



Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Do you know the variety?
    How long have you had it ?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • thelahdeedahthelahdeedah Posts: 6
    It was already in the garden when I moved in 3 years ago, so I don’t know when it was planted but I’m guessing a fair few years old.  I think it’s Davidii, maybe Black knight as it’s very deep purple.  The only thing I have done differently was to prune it in the spring and not the autumn (when I just tidy it a bit) the last couple of years.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    i don’t think that the caterpillar damage would have caused the change in the flower spikes 🤔 although others may know different ...🧐
    Are any of the flowers in the usual ‘spikes’ ?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    How is it being grown? Is there lots of other planting nearby?
    A pic of the whole plant might help. 

    They're pretty straightforward, and if healthy, they don't generally succumb to anything much. I grow Black Knight. There aren't any flowers yet on mine, but that's pretty normal. I don't do anything to mine apart from the usual pruning. It never gets fed either. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • thelahdeedahthelahdeedah Posts: 6
    It’s just on the end of a border.  Part sun, part shade in the summer, and I think the soil is loam. Quite alkaline and doesn’t drain that great in that area if there’s been a lot of rain, but up until last summer no problems, just grew normally.  I’ve sprinkled some fish blood and bone around it a couple of times this year but other wise just watered in the evening if it’s been hot.  The spikes do flower but still in the sparse grouping in the photos.  Here is some more close ups and where it is situated.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I don't see much wrong with it to be honest. 

    I just noticed today there's a few buds forming on mine. I've never watered them - or fed them, apart from when first planted. They both just get hacked back in spring.  :)

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Purple flowered ones always seem to be sparse, the white one I had was smothered.
    As others have said there isn't much wrong with it but next spring I would cut it right down and hope the newer growth flowers better.
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    edited July 2020
    Poor flowering may just be lack of sunlight or not pruning back hard enough to generate more branching. The damaged flowers are more likely due to a small aphid attack when the young leaves and flowers were forming. With Tortrix Moth, you normally see white sticky residue.

    All shrubs and plants can develop some yellowing leaves here and there, this is all normal and part of some leaves dying. As mentioned the overall look of your shrub looks fine. The leaves are nice and green, and it's fine to prune out damaged tips or flowers.
  • thelahdeedahthelahdeedah Posts: 6
    Hi
    Thanks for all the help everyone.

    I prune it back hard each year, so that shouldn’t be an issue, it’s not the brightest corner but has flowered really well in previous years so that shouldn’t Really be the problem either.  I do have aphid problems on other plants but there was definitely the tortrix moths on it as there were caterpillars in the curled up leaves with the thread stuff as well.  I’ve cut off the dodgy flowers and leaves so I’ll just have to see what happens.
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