where are you ...

can you rule out ambient weather ...

why did it happens 2 years ago ...

have you changed the media ... how long has it been in this pot ... what is the media... where are you

shall i presume its NOT a deciduous tree .. here in late fall????

ken

I am in Australia and we are approaching the middle of spring. We had a cold September but no colder than it was during winter and the last couple of weeks we have had some fairly hot weather.

Not sure why it happened before but it's happening again.

The pot was changed when it happened the first time and it's been in the same pot since.

It was looking healthy just a few weeks ago and has actually grown a lot this year. Nothing really has changed except for the seasons and it has declined very suddenly.

Any ideas?

Michael, it is going to be well-nigh impossible for us to figure this one out from our remote locations. But generally, I hope you realize, this plant's entire world is within that pot. As such, one event during which watering was not forthcoming-but needed-would be enough for this to happen. Alternately, one single round of over-watering would be enough to start the root system into decline. Finally, are not acacias sometimes deciduous? I realize this is a large group of species, but somewhere in the back of my mind is a thought that these species can be so.

Are buds visible? IF this species normally forms buds that can be seen, then the presence or absence of same can tell one much about its future prospects.

+oM

The pot does have drainage holes, right? If not, get the plant into something that drains. In any case, containerized plants most typically like to be watered heavily, that is, to the brim of the pot, and then left to slightly dry out before being watered again. I know of no voodoo beyond the basics of water management-hey, that's not voodoo-to recommend. It's the basics almost every time: Light, water, growing medium.

+oM

I agree with Tom. Either not watered enough or too much.

They grow here; there are several in the neighborhood. They are a fast-growing (1 meter+/year), short lived tree; the one across the street died last year, it was 27.

I would guess that it would rather be in the ground instead of in a pot, where it can grow fast and start producing seeds. A life-in-the-fast-lane kind of tree.

Definitely not a tree I'd be trying to grow in a pot. They just want to grow too big, too fast. They need very good drainage, and withstand droughts well, so yes, I'd be cautious about over-watering it. And like most Oz natives, very susceptible to death by phosphorous if you're fertilising it. I've never met an Acacia that liked being fertilised at all, and I've grown dozens of different species over decades.

Yours appears to be dying/dead. A. baileyana (Cootamundra Wattle) is also a known environmental thug of native bushland, so if you must grow a wattle in a pot, why not choose a smaller species? I'd highly recommend A. cognata in your situation, but as there are more than 1000 species, a trip to a nursery with a good selection might be a good idea...

Acacia cognata in pot

Definitely not a tree I'd be trying to grow in a pot.

...especially a black plastic pot.

shaxhome what does cognata want as to conditions? We are finding it touchy here in So. California. (I know about the no-phosphorus rule.)

Hi, hoovb...are you growing the species or one of the many different smaller forms? I've found them to be fairly hardy, even surviving light winter frosts and our blazing Aussie summers. They do need a sandy/loamy soil, pH of neutral/mildly acidic and good drainage. And yes, don't even let them get a sniff of phosphorous!

Their major failing is root rot in humid areas. It's almost impossible to grow them in our subtropical zones.

Could that be your problem?

Shaxhome acacia cognata that keeps dropping leafs and branches dry out. The tips of the leaves are are rust in color. We get conflicting advice we are told to water it frequently and deep then we are told that it's may have root mold. I was using Miracle Grow on it switched to another product EB Stones organic kelp meal and EB Organics all plant food at the suggestion of a nursery who knew which type of tree I had. I will attempt to try to send some pictures of the tree.

Debra...is that plant in the ground, or a pot? Your watering regimen will depend on that. (Needs more often in a pot.)

But either way, I'd tend to water only when the soil is bone dry and the plant will show you when it's thirsty. Which Miracle Grow are you using? I looked it up and the standard one has added phosphorous, a bad thing for any Acacia (and most Oz natives.) They really don't need any fertiliser in my experience, maybe just an annual top-up of compost.

What is the pH of your soil/mix? It needs a neutral to acidic pH and will really struggle (and eventually die) if it's too alkaline.

Hello , it has been years since your comment, but I want to know if you have been able to solve it, my name is Mariana and I am in Argentina, I have bought an acacia baileyana and the same thing is happening to you right now. I still can't tell if I watered it too much or too little, in my country there is no information about this species. I hope you see this message and can help me. Thank you very much, regards!

Mine is on the ground for 3 years now and is doing the same, idk if is too much water or too little but some main branches are dead dry.