I have 3 three-year old "Jack Frost" B. macrophyllia -- which are the stars of my shade garden, and would be on a short list if I had to name a favorite plant.

Anyway... boy, they are *unhapppy* now! Always strong and vigorous looking in the past, they are now droopy and wilted-lettuce looking! YIKES!!

- They bloomed fine at usual time (very fine indeed!)

- There's no discoloration to the leaves -- just droopy/floppy.

- Nothing else in the vicinity is complaining (heucheras, JP ferns, hellebores, columbines, primrose, etec).

- No chemicals (fertilizer or pesticide) have been applied.

- I'd say water amounts have been pretty good -- not too wet, not too dry.

Any ideas??

I am wondering if excessive nitrogen could be responsible? Things I can think of that are different this year from last:

1) I dug and re-planted everything in that bed laet last summer (had to be raised on account of a brick walkway going in)... and I did mix in quite a bit of compost at the time. (The original soil is mega-clay, which I've been working at improving for a few years now).

2) I top-dressed this spring with mushroom soil, rather than hardwood mulch as in the past.

I probably should have done a nitrogen test before posting... but I haven't. If it is excessive nitrogen, what's the solution? If it isn't that, what else might be making my beatiful JFs into floppy wimps -- and what to do about it?? :(

Thanks!