Bougainvillea/Star Jasmine still dormant? Or dead?

12 years ago

I just moved to Southern California this past year, so I'm having trouble understanding seasons/growing times, etc.

I know that some things go dormant for the winter months, but now that spring seems to have arrived (wildflowers and fruit trees in bloom, new leaves on fig trees, etc.) I'm concerned about my bougainvillea and star jasmine plants, which show no signs of waking up.

Both are young plants I bought in the fall - each 2 ft tall, planted in 15" diameter pots, in a well-draining mix. They bloomed for a week or two in October but then went dormant - the jasmine looks unchanged, and the bougainvillea has lost some leaves and developed some brittle/woody parts.

I gave them a boost of fertilizer this week and a good, deep watering, but they still seem in stasis. Is it still too cold at night for them to grow?

They each get at least 6 hours of direct sun/day, mostly morning and early afternoon.

Do I just need to be more patient? Or is intervention needed?

Also - anyone have any recommendations on books/websites I can read to learn more about gardening in this climate?

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

bahia
12 years ago
It really depends on where you love in southern California as to when these two plants will "wake up" for you. In fact, the timing will probably vary even within your own garden. You must be in a colder winter part of the area, and things like warmer growing plants such as these will start growing again as nights warm back up into the 50's*F and days consistently get back into the 70's*F.

A good general reference book that covers the climate and would identify your growing zone would be the Sunset Western Garden Book Encyclopedia. Your local library ought to have a copy as well.

If these plants haven't started to grow again
within the month, that would be the time to start worrying. In
general, a Bougainvillea will grow better and stay evergreen longer with more bloom if you move it to a
south or west facing wall location with full sun all day. Th8e
extra heat created by locating it against a sunny wall is the ideal spot.
buddyben
12 years ago
My star jasmine (in ground vines) haven't changed either. My experience is that it changes in late spring. Give yours more time.
My bouganivilla (potted) just started putting out tiny new leaves this past week or so. It gets full sun all day. Give yours more time.
I'm in the San Fernando Valley (hotter than nearby Los Angeles)
Related Discussions
Butterfly bush dead or dormant?
Q
Comments (37)
In zone 6a - all three of my butterfly bushes have foliage. One has new growth that is about 2ft high already, one has small growth from the base and the third was later than the others because it is in more dry shade and it just has a couple of stems. Sorry about your Buddleia. I wonder if the problem is that it is a recent hybrid and a dwarf? Sometimes, they are not as reliably hardy.
...See More
Help with star jasmines?
Q
Comments (1)
Hi Daish, Congrats on your fragrant find! The botanical name of your plant is Trachelospermum jasminoides. You want to let the soil dry out some between waterings. I suggest getting a moisture meter or sticking your finger into the mix to see if it needs water or not. When the soil feels dry the next time you water you can mix in some liquid plant food like Miracle-Gro or the even better Dyna-Gro. You can always put a stake into the pot and tie the branches to the stake or get a fan shaped trellis and tie the branches to it. -Robert Here is a link that might be useful: Star Jasmine info
...See More
star jasmine
Q
Comments (5)
Honeydew may be dripping from infested plants overhead, in which case there was no point in spraying an insecticide on the star jasmine itself. To get rid of the sooty mold, figure out where the honeydew is coming from and address that. If there are no nearby sources then there would then have to in fact be an infestation on the star jasmine. If that is true then maybe a hand lens is needed for you to see it.
...See More
Star Jasmin - is it dead
Q
Comments (1)
I'm in Zone 8, too -- Pacific NW -- and our winter was relatively harsh for this area. I had my star jasmin in a terra cotta pot and did not mulch it at all.. It looked like a goner, but it just started putting out some buds this week. Don't give up yet...
...See More
sautesmom Sacramento
12 years ago
Star Jasmine doesn't lose its leaves, so if yours has, it's dead. If it still has leaves, it's fine. Star Jasmine loves the hot weather, and the smell always reminds me of summer.

Bougainvillea you can break one of the branches a little--if you see green, it's fine too.

Carla in Sac
Laurel Zito
12 years ago
Bougainvillea is more likely to die from cold then star jasmine. I never had a star jasmine die from cold, but I had two of them die for other reasons. I think it was either poor drainage, bad soil or failure to water before it was established. Bougainvillea has died from cold every time, so I don't have any Bougainvillea now. If you can get a Bougainvillea to be huge and big and well established it will survive cold. It is the small ones that die. It can be really annoying to have to wait, but sometimes it does pay off to wait. Other times I just chuck the plant, so I have room for something new. It is still early right now. I would give it until late April.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
12 years ago
My experience with Star Jasmine is that it sits for a year or so doing (apparently) absolutely nothing, then bursts forth with lots of growth. Perhaps it establishes itself by growing roots first.

Young bougies don't do much until May. As they establish themselves thoroughly they may grow at any time of year close to the coast.

Books, get Pat Welsh's gardening in southern california books and Robert Smaus "52 Weeks in a California Garden".

They thoroughly explain how gardening here is different than the rest of the country. Libraries usually have them if you do not want to purchase. Pat Welsh has a helpful website, and answers questions, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: pat welsh gardening website