After repotting I did smell slight urine smell in the old soil but right now my allergies are raising havoc with my nose. It could have been over whelming and I would not have noticed due to poor sniffer right now. George is the reason I went to New Orleans. Well.. rather.. My grandpa George. Most ppl knew him by his middle name though so when I say George even my mom didn't realize it was in honor of her father. My Grandpa died in the middle of January just a few days after my birthday. My mother and I went to Louisiana for his funeral. It was my first trip to Louisiana. Mom and I were just driving around seeing sites. I didn't realize I was in a turning lane till it was too late. and had to turn as there was a cop directly across from me... I took the turn and drove down the road deciding we were in no big hurry and it looked like a lovely street. I figured I'd just make a big circle to see some of the town and there was George sitting out by the road begging me to take him home.. I stopped and turned around to get a better look. Mom told me I should make sure that was the one.. I looked at ALL of the many Kumquats. George was not the biggest but.. there was something about it. I just had to have him.. After a few days.. of having him home.. I gave him the name.. because if it weren't for grandpa I wouldn't have it.. I believe in planting trees to honor loved ones. I've had to plant 4 trees this year. all my life I've only ever planted 4 trees to honor loved ones. this has been a heck of a year. I also have a Magnolia in the front yard for other grandpa. and a few trees out at my mom's farm for others. Heh I sit here thinking of Grandpa George and.. well.. Miewa Kumquat fits him. Sour at first impression and sweet once ya get to the heart of matters.. I really hope George makes it.. If not.. I have the grafted tree... I have considered getting more cuttings but am worried that would add more shock to it's system. The cutting I have growing is doing beautifully. But then again.. maybe cutting it back so the roots won't have to work so hard to provide for the top? and it could concentrate on healing the roots? Yesterday I "treated" George for root rot. formula I found here 80% water to 20% bleach. I did the in the pot treatment as I didn't think repotting again would due it any good.. I let it sit in the bleach formula for about an hr. then flushed the pot with clear water 4 times. I don't know that it has root rot.. but I figure couldn't hurt. I have noticed the remaining leaves have darkened. a very deep green more like it was when I first brought it home. The brown... I scraped the bark and there is no green under it... The brown is still continuing to move down the tree but seems at a slower pace. HOPE?? I guess only thing left now is to wait and hope.. Unless anyone else can make any more suggestions? Thanks!!! Gina *BabyBlue*

Do you know which one it is? It looks to be an American W. frutescens - Amethyst Falls....? If so, what was the scent? It appears that a lot of people find it unpleasant. I've never seen one in person so I don't know what they really smell like - and the perception of scents can be so personal re what is pleasant or not. I wish I had more room here - I'm getting awfully temped to try one of the American types to see how they compare with the two Asian ones I have. But I'd be more inclined to go for the W. macrostachya with the showier, longer flowers. Thanks for posting that.

I have what has been ID'd as an Amethyst Falls and I've had no problem with them taking over. I have two vines that are growing up 20' wooden light posts. They haven't sent out runners or even made any seed pods. The branches that drag on the ground will root but are easy to pull up. It puts out foliage later then other varieties and starts blooming later. I think it's a prettier flower and it will continue to put out an occasional bloom throughout the summer after the first flush. I even get another mini flush in the fall. The only negative thing I've heard is that it has an unpleasant scent but mine has no smell at all. Karyn

We chainsaw pruned one out here last year, and yes, it's tried to regrow ever since. Luckily (?) for us, it was planted where we can mow it down every time we mow the lawn, and I pull the runners whenever I find them in the garden. My grandparents had one they chain saw pruned as well then pulled out with heavy equipment because it was trying it's best to get into the house via the mortar between the bricks (brick house). Knowing this, I was already keeping an eye on the one we inherited when we bought the Cottage, and when the runners kept appearing in the garden and it failed to bloom it was nearly a forgone conclusion that it was on it's way out. The last straw was finding it covered in japanese beetles.