Lantana fading away

[elena999]

I have a small lantana for about 6 months. Its inside under lights. It seems the leaves wilt so if not watered every 2 days but then I give it a good drink and all the leaves fall off the next day. Its now down to no leaves but yet lots of new leaves pushing through..Is it the soil mix? I have not repotted it yet.

 

[elena999]

I have a small lantana for about 6 months. Its inside under lights. It seems the leaves wilt so if not watered every 2 days but then I give it a good drink and all the leaves fall off the next day. Its now down to no leaves but yet lots of new leaves pushing through..Is it the soil mix? I have not repotted it yet.

I forgot to mention, this has been going on the whole time ive had it..thats why by now its naked..

 

[Cadillactaste]

I heard they don't like fertilized...not sure if you've done that at all...my lantana is pretty pathetic as well. Though...I stopped fertilizing.

Remember...no foliage = it will need less water.

Just keep watering it...spring is around the corner...I hear they are hardy...so I am hoping mine bounces back. But...if I keep having it winter hard. It will end up down south...

 

[coh]

I forgot to mention, this has been going on the whole time ive had it..thats why by now its naked..

I have no experience with lantana. However, the symptoms you are describing are quite similar to what was happening to a cotoneaster I had a few years ago. It would push new growth, then the leaves would turn yellow and fall off. This cycle repeated a number of times until one day the leaves and branches started turning black. Plant died quickly. Unpotting revealed the roots had rotted off due to the pot holding too much water.

So you might have a root problem. Is the plant getting weaker over time, with each flush of new growth weaker than the previous?

Another possibility, if you're letting it get dry to the point where it wilts...perhaps in this species that damages the leaves causing them to drop even after it is watered. You might aim for more even moisture.

If it were mine, I'd try keeping it more evenly moist first, then I'd unpot and check the roots.

Chris

 

[edprocoat]

Lanatanas don't like fertilizer, it keeps them from flowering. They like dry conditions and well draining soil of course but the main thing is plenty of sun light and heat. You are in NY, give it a month and it will take off for you ad long as you do not drown it before then.

ed

ed

 

[elena999]

Lanatanas don't like fertilizer, it keeps them from flowering. They like dry conditions and well draining soil of course but the main thing is plenty of sun light and heat. You are in NY, give it a month and it will take off for you ad long as you do not drown it before then.

ed

ed

Thanks..I did not over water if the leaves are wilting..i tried to let it dry just a bit..it would wilt..then I watered and boom next day or 2 leaf drop..i will try and keep the faith..LOL...I will pull it out and look at roots, maybe not draining well...elena

Chris..sounds like a root and soil to you also. Im gonna check roots. I dont wanna loose the leaves that are pushing out. It seems lantana have very thin leaves also.

 

[edprocoat]

Thanks..I did not over water if the leaves are wilting..i tried to let it dry just a bit..it would wilt..then I watered and boom next day or 2 leaf drop..i will try and keep the faith..LOL...I will pull it out and look at roots, maybe not draining well...elena

Chris..sounds like a root and soil to you also. Im gonna check roots. I dont wanna loose the leaves that are pushing out. It seems lantana have very thin leaves also.

UHH. I guess you must have misread my post? I did not say you over watered your plant, perhaps if you re-read the very post that you quoted me in you would see where I said "as long as you do not drown it before then" . I should have said to be more clear " Let it dry out a lot, it is not actively growing and it does not need water right now, if you continue to water it then it will eventually drown as these plants do not like to be watered all the time, they are almost like cactus in the sense that they thrive in very dry conditions. BTW if you check the roots on a weak plant its almost certainly going to kill it, you see its struggling right now and to remove it from its pot and stress it further .....


ed

 

[elena999]

Ed,

yes that makes sense. I guess what was confusing me was if the leaves were wilting every other day, i assumed it wanted water. In a sense i did over water if i lost all the leaves and it like dryness. its strange though..I feel like its failing yet new leave are popping out.... I did poke down the soil a little.. disaster! looks like potting soil..no drainage. Maybe the leaves werent wilting due to lack of water but dead roots. Im not sure how to treat it until I can repot..

Thanks for your input
Elena

 

[armetisius]

Elena,
Down here we stick them in the ground; run over them with the lawn mower; back over them in the truck; insert whatever abuse you can imagine;
and they keep on growing. Keep the faith. These are just about a weed here. Plenty of sun, warmth; you will turn your head one afternoon only to
realize it has lost its mind and thrown a shoot headed for the moon. Hope it is the species--love those carnival colors on the flowers. Good luck.

 

[bumblebee]

OUTSIDE!!!!