Dear gardening friends,
I have an Edgeworthia plant that is about 1.5 feet tall, just purchased last year. In the last couple of days all of the top leaf clusters have fallen off and I am left with only one cluster. Does anyone know the cause of this? I thought it might be either deer knocking against the plant or high winds, but this is the first time I have grown this species. Also, I am wondering if other leaf clusters will emerge from the lower nodes. Any advice is appreciated.
Sharon
ANSWER: Edgeworthia can be very finicky in this area, and new buds are especially sensitive to extreme temperature fluctuations. You will remember that we had warm winter followed by extreme cold, followed by warm weather and then very cold. All of this causes harm to your young edgeworthia. They take about 3 years to get going and it is VERY rough going at first. I promise you, that after a few years, your edgeworthia will come into its own.
Remember to keep soil moist around your edgeworthia, and ensure it is in good soil with organic matter. I always mulch around my plants with 2-4”, and keep the mulch away from the base about 4-6 inches. You might not get any flowers for the first couple years… don’t worry. It just takes lots of time and patience.
Also, it is known that deer will browse edgeworthia..so beware.