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Why is one bush so weak looking

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longwalks1
longwalks1 Posts: 3,738 Forumite
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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?

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  • unrecordings
    unrecordings Posts: 2,017 Forumite
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    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)

    Why am I in this handcart and where are we going ?
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,229 Forumite
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    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
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • longwalks1
    longwalks1 Posts: 3,738 Forumite
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    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
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    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
    sheramber Posts: 19,136 Forumite
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    Bumble Bee bush - Abelia

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