Have this potted plant for a long time, and it was flourishing until about 3 years ago. Since then parts have been dying off gradually. I cannot see any root cause (no pun intended). Neither its location nor watering have changed.
I'm not certain what species it is, it is woody, without thorns, and looks very pretty when in bloom, with white flowers.
by Sea_Sorbet_Diat
2 Comments
My best assumption would be it is EXTREMELY root bound in the pot it’s in if it’s been there for years. Do you bring it inside in the winter? If not, I’d consider planting it in the ground. Shrubs aren’t means to live in pots indefinitely, the roots will eventually choke out the plant and it will die. To keep shrubs/trees in pots like this you basically need to do a form of bonsai. They need root trims/foliar trims to keep them under control.
Looking at the Pot: likely your tree is dying back, because it desperately trying to support itself.
It is like if you have a really bad infection and need your arm to be taken off, a tree will die back if the root system is not suitable to sustain the tree.
Just repot it into a larger pot, cut back all the dead stuff and be amazed on how thankful this tree will continue to grow. ( Repotting season is kinda over tho).
Edit: Guessing by the size and the container, your tree might me severely rootbound. Loosening/untangling the roots might actually do more harm than good. Just pot it up with the bound roots and the new roots forming will find their way into the fresh soil. Don‘t forget to repot it every two years. Maybe you just want to put it into the ground directly next season.
Second edit: does the Glazed underpot have drainage holes? I just saw how tightly the inner pot is stuck to the outer one. So next question is if the drainage is adequate