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Help. Yellow shriveled up leaves on S. A. Cape Mallow

vinelover
21 years ago

I bought this plant at Target because of the beautiful pink flowers and delicate leaves. I picked a plant that had buds but hasn't flowered. The problem is all the leaves are turning yellow and are shriveling up. Its been two weeks and still the same buds and more coming but none have even appeared to be opening. I have no clue what to do with this plant. I really don't want to kill it. Someone please help.

Comments (5)

  • safariofthemind
    21 years ago

    Hate to see your post all lonely up there. I did a search and found the following at the Coachella Valley WD website http://www.cvwd.org/lush&eff/lsh&ef44.htm:

    Anisodontea hypomandarum, South African mallow. A recent introduction, 3Â4', this blooms on and off throughout the year with great show of numerous ¾" rose pink flowers. Use it in a border, as a foreground to taller plants, blend it with Euryops pectinatus viridis (green gold) in groupings or in container for close viewing. Good drainage a must, moderate watering, partial or filtered shade important. Plants respond to occasional gentle thinning and trimming to develop fuller growth. Some have experienced short term growth with exposure to full sun. Hardy to 25Â28o F.

    My comment is that the yellow leaves may come from too much watering. In my experience that is the number 1 reason folks have problems.

    Good luck. RJ

  • bahia
    21 years ago

    Target has a great return policy if you kept the receipt! From your description, it could just as easily be caused by the soil drying out briefly as too much water. This plant is extremely easy and vigorous if planted out in full sun with good drainage and regular summer water as for Agapanthus. Was your plant still in a container after two weeks and in the sun? Warm spring weather in southern California can quickly dry out a root ball, and this plant may be like some Australian plants such as Leptospermum and Melaleuca, very drought hardy once established, but easy to kill if allowed to get too dry before it is well established. Your description might also describe what it would look like if it were left soaking in a saucer that kept the roots too wet...

  • vinelover
    Original Author
    21 years ago

    Thanks for the responses. I actually gave up on getting one. I thinned the plant out eliminating as many yellowing leaves as I could. I think it was over watered. We had 3 straight days of rain. I took it out of the container and replanted it in a much larger container. I didn't water it for about ten days and voila! The thing started blooming non stop since then. It is one beautiful plant. Hey thanks for looking up that info for me. This is one beautiful plant. Gorgeous with little care.

  • socal23
    20 years ago

    I can verify Bahia's guess regarding Anisodontea, once established they are drought proof here with only 13" of rain a year (they may look a little ratty by late summer when they haven't had a drop of water since April, but they recover with the first rains), although in a container they obviously require more care.

  • annlacymail_yahoo_com
    16 years ago

    The same thing happened to mine (yellowed leaves which then all fell off). I bought 5 plants and one by one they seem to be succumbing. They did beautifully through the late winter (when I bought them) and spring but suddenly shriveled up. We are experiencing a semi-drought in coastal SC and I fear that I took them too much for granted and didn't water them enough (since I just put them in this winter and perhaps they were not well enough established). If anyone can confirm my hunch, I'd appreciate it. Meanwhile, I hope they revive and survive.

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