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Why did my Purple Cone Flower die?

tim_the_gardner

11 years ago

This is the first time I have ever grown a purple cone flower , and I started this plant from seed. I had one good flower bloom and was really nice, and had more flowers developing. For some unknown reason, the leaves started drooping and the plant began to die. Since it was in a pot, I figured that it was not getting enough water and that the pot was drying out in this 100+ degree heat (Texas). So I began watering it every day. The leaves still kept drooping, and I knew it was about to die if I didnt do something. I tried coating the leaves with a mild organic insecticide and even gave the plant a small amount of water soluble fertilizer. Nothing worked, and it kicked the bucket - as you can see in the photo attached. What happened? Too much Texas sun? Did I over-water? I've been gardening for a long time, but never had this happen. Very unusual. Thanks,

{{gwi:21446}}

Tim

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
why did you use insecticide on a plant you knew wasnt getting enough water.. and already stressed.. [organic or not]

and why potted???

its dead.. dig it up.. and see if there are any roots ... you either droughted it or overheated and cooked the roots ..... or rotted the roots once you started watering very day ...

was it in full sun.. in that tiny pot all summer???

and why not mother earth??

and with the lawn looking a bit splotchy.. is there a dog around.. you will know when you unpot it.. smell the media ...

ken
tim_the_gardner
Original Author
11 years ago
>> why did you use insecticide on a plant you knew wasnt getting enough water.. and already stressed.. [organic or not]

I didnt KNOW it was getting enough water. A desperate attempt to eliminate the possibility of insects causing the problem. (I tried everything else)

>> and why potted??

Because I have crappy soil. Next question.

>> was it in full sun.. in that tiny pot all summer???

The pot is not tiny, it works great for flowers of like size normally. It's not the pot size, I know. The plant was thriving in the full sun until suddenly it began to die and did so in just a short period of time.

>> and why not mother earth??

Crappy soil! Black clay... Not even an option... Next question

>> and with the lawn looking a bit splotchy.. is there a dog around.. you will know when you unpot it.. smell the media ...

No dogs. No animals... My plan now is to remove the plant and inspect the roots. Something killed this plant quickly. No exterior chewing/sucking insects present... No foliage damage... It appeared to me that the leaves were drooping before it died.. I originally thought it was wilting and needed more water. Occasionally ill forget to water my potted plants and they will do that... (wilt) But they usually perk right up once I give them water.

Tim
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"So I began watering it every day" This is your most likely problem. They hate wet roots, they need oxygen reaching the roots more-so than many plants. If you're watering because you see drooping...wait until the sun goes down for a little while and check the plant response. Many plants will intentionally wilt (even with enough soil moisture) when it's intensely hot in order to expose less surface area to the sun (in order to conserve water being respirated off the leaves as well as preventing actual leaf damage/burn). If the plant is still wilted after the sun is no longer beating down it probably needs a bit of water.
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That's pretty late for a coneflower to bloom but whatever the reason, be glad they bloomed. Might be the watering issue--they're prairie plants and tend to thrive on whatever moisture Ma Nature doles or doesn't dole out. I've never watered mine and they're thriving 3 years down the road. My neighbor has had a butterfly garden filled with them for more years than I've lived here and she's never watered it. The coneflowers have thrived. Yes we're a zone warmer than you but Echinacea/coneflower is mostly rated to Z6 so you should be okay unless you plant some of the fancy hybrid cultivars. I recommend you do your research on the perennials you plant and get acquainted with their needs. Chances are you'll be surprised. They honestly need quite a bit less help from you than you might think. Happy gardening!
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As said above, there should be a firm rootball for the plant to be viable. To add abit:When buying plants this way, the roots should have a firmness to them, and this time of year, looking like they will sprout, with shoots looking for light, even in the bag. Bare root plants also need more attention and care from the git go as opposed to well-rooted plants purchased in pots, when you plant them in the ground. They will need to be watered more often, and should have better soil (Not plopped into Southern clay) to begin with. Bare root plants have their basic roots, but not the elaborate network of feeder roots you will find in a well-rooted potted plant. With this in mind, you might want to put your bare root plants into a pot with potting soil and let them develop a bit before slamming them into the ground at this point. As you can imagine, living in a little bag might get one a bit stressed out, so nurture the little plant a bit mo' betta extry.
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I was just over in the section of garden that has the Echinaceas and they are all looking good. Settled in and starting new growth. I have high hopes for this area to be a blaze of color during Echinacea bloom season. Then I have plans in my mind of adding to the cottage garden look there by adding blackeyed susans along in that same area. That is just in the thinking stages and should be a project for next spring. I don't want Goldstrum, I have had it and don't care for it. I was thinking of all this because I was working out there relocating one of my nice thornless blackberry "shrubs" so that I have room for my new clematis tower that I intend to put in along that garden area.
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tim_the_gardner
Original Author
11 years ago
Here's a photo of the plant just says before it turned south and began to wilt and die.

{{gwi:21447}}

Now I have seen squash plants die like this, due to a SVB bug that has borrowed into the vine... I'm thinking something internally, or in the root system caused this plant to die. Hmmmm..

Tim
katob Z6ish, NE Pa
11 years ago
relax, Ken's just trying to help.
I've heard other people say cone flowers are tricky in pots as far as getting too much or little water. It's usually reliable in the open ground, but pots not so much... for what it's worth it did look great before it's sudden death.

I would bet it was a water issue that opened it up to whatever ended up killing it, probably some rot.

I'm going to guess you're somewhere South of Dallas. I remember that black clay, great for digging tanks but also great for losing a golf ball (or even golf club) when it dried out and cracked.
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
11 years ago
Considering your air temperature, I can only imagine the soil temperature in your pot. Many plants I have tried in pots in the sun have failed in just a few days. Al

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