Sickly looking shrub
Lyn Plant-Wells
Posts: 338
Two queries - 1. I have a variegated shrub in my south facing front garden - already here when I moved 2 years ago. The leaves are red/green/splashes of white (I don't know the species) and are dropping rather more than usual at the moment. It has always looked somewhat droopy and unhealthy so wonder if the aspect (very warm in summer - sandy soil which dries out quickly) is the cause? Saying that, we have had about 4-5 days of heavy rain last week. Photo attached. I am considering disposing of it as it looks pretty awful.
2. I planted two Italian Cypress (?) Trees when the garden was 'made over' 18 months ago. I notice that they have green knobbly lumps - photo attached. Is this a disease or their natural 'fruit?' They are in semi raised beds where the topsoil is quite shallow (one was previously a fishpond, the other was originally a veg patch but had all manner of debris under about 2' of soil. 
Thanks guys.
Posts
1. the shrub looks like its either dried out too much (on sand soil a good possibility) or has been touched by a late frost - or both, give it a good water two times a week and a feed and it should be fine, give it a month or so then remove any dead bits that haven't already fallen off.
2. green knobbly things - they are the Cypress cones (they are members of the conifer family like pines) they'll dry out and go brown eventually and release any seeds they have produced (unlikely for Italian cypress in this country) just leave them as they are.
Last edited: 24 May 2017 11:44:36
That shrub looks like it's a photinia davidii 'Palette' and very thirsty and probably hungry. They are evergreen -ish - in mild winters but don't like to be too dry or too exposed to strong winds or frosts and will lose leaves when stressed.
I suggest you give it a good drink - 5 to 10 litres - and let it soak in then repeat for a few days and then give it a good handful or two or blood, fish and bone scattered over the soil around it and then a good mulch of well rotted garden compost, another drink and a 2" layer of chipped bark or pebbles to help retain moisture and reduce competition from weeds or other plants.
If that fails, cut it back low to leave just the fresh looking stems at the base with the pink, cream and green foliage. It should regrow but won't be fast.
Can't help with the other problem.
Last edited: 24 May 2017 12:18:38