Did it recover on its own, or is it dead now? In my experience with Hymenosporum flavum here in California, this tree much prefers a well drained, loamy soil that doesn't stay saturated in heavy rains. If this isn't your soil situation, try raising the grade with a small berm and improved top soil to give the tree roots better aeration, and start with a new tree.

My experience with Hymenosporum flavum is from a California perspective, and they grow well here, but do seem to prefer sandy loam soils over heavy clay soils for best year round appearance. Did the leaf drop start to occur after either a prolonged dry period or a cold snap? These two things can cause them to drop foliage here, as well as the roots staying too wet. In fact, this tree can often struggle when planted in pure clay, although as they get larger they seem more tolerant. They also tend to drop leaves with the onset of colder weather, and push rapid new growth when it warms up again. If you know you don't have a drainage problem, I'd suggest you wait to see if it pushes new growth once the height of winter is past, although if you are located in Sydney right on the water, your winter couldn't be all that cold to cause leaf drop. Maybe try an organic or slow release fertilizer to see if that helps... There is also a noticeable difference in vigor of plants within a block of seed grown trees at nurseries here, and I always look for the healthiest specimens over the larger ones when selecting this tree for gardens. It often seems that straggly plants never amount to much here, even after they have settled in. I love using this tree, as it can bloom multiple times from spring into fall, never gets too densely shading, fills the bill when something tall and narrow and evergreen is wanted, and the fragrance is heavenly. Surprising to find that a subtropical rainforest species from Queensland does so well in a summer dry Mediterranean climate, and is even quite frost hardy, easily tolerating down to 22F freezes here, with no permanent damage except complete defoliation.

Well, there you go, sometimes if you leave things alone mother nature'll take care of it. B.

I planted a hymenosporum flavum native frangipani in full sun. Of late I am seeing that the leaves are turning brown veins first. Then the whole leave turns brown and falls off. The leaves from the bottom are going first. The plant however is still pushing out new growth at the crown. It is planted in mostly clay soil. It is a rather tough spot as there is no protection from wind also. Most of the people have put the callistemons in such locations and have called it the day. I am trying something ambitious I guess. New leaves coming up. Lower leaves dying off. It is beginning of winters. So I have stopped watering it that frequently. The plant is well mulched anyways so I am sure there is enough moisture. This is beginning of the winters here and I was wondering if this is normal.