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Sad hebe

turmericturmeric Posts: 830
in Problem solving

Hello all.  I was going to post a photo but I've just realised it's too dark outside.  I'm a bit confused by a hebe I have. It's Hebe 'Blue Gem' and it's been in since Oct 2015.  It's grown from 10 inches to approx 20 but over the last 3 weeks the tips have severely drooped.  I actually planted two at the same time and the other one is a similar size but isn't drooping.  I thought it might be dry (hard to imagine at this time of year) so I watered it but we've had a lot of rain recently and it looks the same.  The plants around it are thriving and it isn't squashed in, sunny spot too.  Can anyone think of a reason for the 3 inch tips of each branch to be drooping so badly?  My only thought is that it's hit a pan of soil or something else solid? But there are two thriving rose bushes nearby with deep roots and a tree used to reside in the same bed so that must have found soil to grow in before I removed it.  Any suggestions would be really useful before I did him up to see.  Ooh just thought, could it be vine weevil?  Many thanks, jandh

Posts

  • Hortum-cretaeHortum-cretae Posts: 979

    I reckon it's the cold. Several of the flowerheads of my skimmia and viburnum tinus drooped after that sudden -6 and hebes are New Zealanders after all.  Look at the lower growth. Is it still ok?  If so, I'd wait for the milder weather and trim off the sad bits.  It may just have succumbed to the cold, though.

    H-C 

  • TigrahTigrah Posts: 125

    Could be the frost, and then the sun defrosting it quickly. The combination could perhaps be burning the exposed tips of the plant. Again, my solution would be waiting for the weather to warm up and trimming those ends off above a leaf node ready to regrow image

  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830

    Thanks H-C.  I did wonder about the cold but I thought it would recover now that the temperatures aren't as low (I'm in the SW).  It is still Jan though so I'll wait a while.  I certainly won't ditch the plant straightaway I just don't like to see it suffering.

  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830

    Thanks Tigrah, your response wasn't there when I thanked H-Cimage

  • Mark56Mark56 Posts: 1,653

    My hebe is the same, first year, in a ceramic pot. Drooping & lost quite a few leaves, i've moved it under from the damp and wet but think I might be too late :( 

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