Took a branch to the nursery, the leaves on my sample proved to be lighter almost yellowish green and look more like a the butterfly magnolias that I saw at the nursery when I checked last Tuesday. Still the leaves had a slight enough ting in their coloring to suggest they might still be an Anticiapation Magnolia. The growth at the tip end of my sample's branch, showed some streaks of redish ting in them that I could not see in that same feature of either the Butterfly or the Anticapation labeled trees I compared it to at the nursery that day. It was the buds on my sample branch which appeared to indicate the most high chance that it was not a Butterfly magnolia. All the buds (I am not certain if these are the immature flower buds that will keep growing and bloom just previous to leaf break next spring, or late winter.) Well on my sample all of them appear like they almost a most light, bluish green and covered with a thick coat of light almost whitish fuzzy hair. This sample branches buds did not match any of the nursery's 'Butterfly magnolia labeled trees. Instead those Butterfly magnolia trees flower buds looked more compact, smooth or even slick, hairless, and definately a medium to slightly dark yellow. On the Nursery's Anticipation trees I did find, not all but, some of those type buds that are covered with fuzzy hair type fillaments. and not exactly; but that still more closely resembled the appearance of the buds on my sample. With those details is it more likely that my tree sample is from another Anicipation Magnolia that is not getting what it needs in it's potting soil? I mean; not enough to make the tree appear to be declining, but enough to cause its leave to look more yellowish instead of a definate bluish green like seen in the nursery's potted Anticiapation trees. If not that, does what I have described sound like my tree might be a completely different hybrid of magnolia, and not even a Butterfly or an Anticiaption?

Actually the chief cause of rhododendron death is too much water when the weather is hot. In clay soil with poor drainage, it is very difficult to water without creating a puddling of moisture in the bottom. Raised beds are usually used over clay soil to prevent this. Thrips are characterized by a silvery white discoloration on the leaf's upper surface and silvery on the bottom with small black frass specks. The damage is similar to that from lace bugs. Thrips are a problem in warm and dry climates like California and New Zealand. Most of the standard insecticides and insecticidal soaps can be used. Control for thrips whether an insecticide or insecticidal soap is a contact control and must be applied on the adults. This is most likely done in May in California when they are visible. Locally, biological controls may also be available. It is best to remove infected flowers. Drought or Borers can cause entire portions of a plant die: * Drought can cause entire branches or entire plants to die. We have had several years of drought here and we observe that if rhododendrons and azaleas are not watered during a drought some plants will die, but others will just have one section of the plant die. It seems to be the plants way to conserve what little moisture it has. Prolonged drought weakens plants and often results in the appearance of fungal cankers on the branches of older azaleas. Look for branches that wilt in hot, dry weather in late summer and be sure to water azaleas if drought drags on more than a few weeks. Prune out the affected branches to stop the spread of fungal canker diseases. * If a Rhododendron Stem Borer, Oberea myops, or Rhododendron Borer, Synanthedon rhododendri, is in a branch, the entire portions of a plant beyond (away from the roots) will wilt and die. Borers only affect the portion of the plant away from the roots from the borer. If the borer is in the main trunk, then the entire plant will wilt and die. The plant can be save by cutting off the area with the borer and letting the plant regenerate from the roots. There are no conventional insecticides that will kill stem borer larvae once they are inside the branches. The best control option for homeowners with only a few plants is to prune out and destroy wilting branches in early spring or late summer. On the other hand, entire plants wilt and die slowly when their roots become compromised. There are several causes of this: Root strangulation. This is best prevented by proper root pruning when planting. If the plant is not too far gone, it might be rescued by digging and removing the soil. Then cutting any circling roots that may be strangling other roots. The roots need to be opened up. On larger plants, some of the top must be removed to compensate for the weak state of the roots. Any time the roots are exposed, they must be kept moistened. Roots that dry out will die. Phytophthora crown rot or wilt. This root rot is the major killer of rhododendrons and azaleas. It develops when roots are growing in wet conditions. The rot is more prevalent in warm summer conditions. Plants infected with crown rot caused by the fungi Phytophthora have roots which become clogged with brown fungi internally. The roots get blocked and the plant wilts and dies. There is not much of any cure for crown rot. Some varieties of rhododendrons are vulnerable (Chionoides, Catawbiense Album, Nova Zembla) and some are resistant (Roseum Elegans, Scintillation, PJM). Sphagnum moss and bark dust combined with good drainage seem to prevent crown rot, but do not cure it. Drought. It may have simply dried out. If you plant rhododendrons or azaleas in late spring, it is very important to give them some extra water while they are growing new roots. Never let the soil completely dry out; it's best to keep the soil evenly moist. Too much water or poorly drained soil might be another explanation of sudden rhododendron or azalea death. Rhododendrons and azaleas have very fine, fibrous roots that are easily damaged by waterlogging, even for short periods of time. Voles. Voles, also known as meadow mice, may have chewed on the bark and roots near the crown of the plant. Sometimes they chew all the way around the trunk and kill the inner bark, resulting in death of the whole plant. Keep mulch away from the trunk to discourage voles. Bark Split. The bark may also split when there are wide fluctuations in temperature in the winter. Rhododendrons and azaleas may begin to come out of dormancy if late winter weather is warm; if a cold snap follows, bark injury is likely, especially in sunny, exposed sites. Here is a link that might be useful: Common problems of rhododendron and azaleas.

Your plant is VERY stressed, iechris and I am not sure what will happen. How much water have you been giving the plant? How did the leaves brown out? Leaves that brown out from the edges suggest a lack of moisture. Having been planted last November, she is not considered established so weather and moisture issues could have caused the problem but Debutante should be able to thrive in your zone's winters. I suggest no fertilizing of any type now because that is the last thing one should give to a plant that is stressed out. Is there a possibility that the plant could be root bound? Do you remember if the roots were growing in circles around the edge of the pot when you planted it last November? The only to tell to tell for sure would be to pull the plant out and inspect the roots, a risky procedure considering how stressed the plant is. The other possibility is root rot. This is hard to identify without pulling the plant out and inspecting the roots to see if they are ok (white-ish looking). Again, this is also risky so I will let you decide if you want to check for these two possible causes. If you decide to pull the plant out and check the roots, also check if the rootball is dry. Sometimes, the rootball can get dried out to the point where it will not absorb water unless you leave the hose on -watering slowly- for a long time. If you notice that the rootball soil is dry but it is wet/moist only near the top then dump the plant in a container full of water for about 20 minutes and then replant it. Less troublesome... can you check for bark split along the main trunk? can you also check the soil moisture manually? To check manually, select a spot between the main trunk and the drip line, temporarily remove the mulch and insert one finger to a depth of 4". How does it feel? If it feels dry or almost dry then the soil needs water (1 gallon for a small new plant). If it feels moist then it is ok and should not be watered. If it feel wet, the soil has too much water; the soil is not draining well so take appropriate action to correct this. Watering hints: When watering, do not water the leaves. Instead, water the soil. On a new plant whose roots have not grown much, water around the root ball area. The best time to water is early in the morning. Also, remember to water during the winter months too if the winter is dry and the soil does not freeze; maybe 1 gallon of water every week or every two weeks. I hope that helps you, iechris. Luis

I think you'll find the tree peonies to be lower maintenance than your herbaceous, Ryse Ryse. They have to be planted deeper if they're grafted on herbaceous root stock and you'll need to provide weed protection but you won't have to cut back dead stems and foliage every year, only deadhead the spent blooms if you want them to look tidier. They do grow slower or maybe it's just the customary size you get for the price is smaller...a 3-5 eye herbaceous division will typically bloom the following spring or maybe a 1 year wait where a 1-2 year old grafted tree peony will take 3-4 years to bloom. That's a generalization, I only have 1 type large enough to bloom so am probably the least experienced with tree peonies that has replied to your post. There are several sellers that advertise more mature plants for sale but you'll pay a hefty premium for them. I haven't ordered from this site but have seen posts from other members that say they're a good source and they say their Select size will typically bloom 1st or 2nd spring. Here is a link that might be useful: Solaris Farms Tree Peony Catalog