Why is one bush so weak looking

longwalks1

We have 2 bumblebee bush/trees in the garden, (not budlehia). They are side by side, bought at the same time, same size.

2 years on, one of them has hardly grown compared to the other, and isnt flowering yet, it’s leaves wilting, but the first one is in full bloom and a hive of activity. Both watered the same amount and in the same sunlight

Any ideas why one of 2 plants looks in such a poor condition compared to the other?

unrecordings

They're a living organism, so rarely going to be uniform across a random sample. I'm guessing one is just more vibrant than the other, something you wouldn't necessarily be able to identify when you bought them. I daresay they might even out in another couple of years, though the wilting leaves is possibly cause for concern (but readily admit I've no idea how to address that)

Farway

First guess is vine weevil maybe? Are they in open ground or pots?


Were they bare rooted or pot grown? If the latter maybe the wilting one has not yet escaped it's old root ball, which is dry and root bound

longwalks1

Both in pots, same size, same positon in the garden. I guess they were pot grown? As we bought them in smaller pots from the garden centre 2 summers ago. Current pot size is about 2ft diam by 2ft high

Mojisola

britishboy wrote: »

2 years on, one of them has hardly grown compared to the other, and isnt flowering yet, it’s leaves wilting, but the first one is in full bloom and a hive of activity. Both watered the same amount and in the same sunlight

Any ideas why one of 2 plants looks in such a poor condition compared to the other?

That suggests a root problem - Farway's suggestions are possible causes.

You will need to tip it out and inspect the roots - do it on a sheet of plastic so that you can contain them if weevils are the cause.

If the roots haven't spread out into the soil, gently loosen them to encourage spread.

Repot with fresh compost.

I don't know what a Bumblebee bush is - did it have any name tags on it when you bought it?

sheramber

Bumble Bee bush - Abelia

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bees/beefriendly-plants-every-season