Same here- I never got one good year. Killed the short and want dry, to the tall and want water- and in between. Yet,I've seen some happy as larks in town.

Yep. Love the tall ones especially. But one year with light bloom as they get growing, second year they bloom wonderfully, the third year they decline. Replace. I don't have the budget to do that on a large scale, so I buy a few on sale occasionally, and when they are done, they get pulled. One would think division would renew the plants, but it just has not worked out that way for me. Our soil is lacking in nutrients, but fertilizing the Australians has its own perils.

Ok, I have the large orange ones going on year 5--now you're freakin' me out they are on borrowed time!

Like I said, it could just be our soil. I have trouble with even daylilies declining--not a common problem. Part of the reason is the water restrictions. When there is very sandy soil, that does not retain moisture, and low supplemental irrigation, some plants just sit, or decline. I have fresh growth on 'Bar Harbor' nandinas for the first time in three years, due to the winter rains.

They can be tricky. They want water while in flower but once done flowering they like to dry out and go dormant. If you water while dormant you'll definitely shorten their life. They are also very susceptible to ink spot so it is generally recommended not to overhead water. Each fan only blooms once and it's recommended that the fans be cut back as far as possible after blooming is done without damaging the new fans. They want excellent drainage. Then there is the problem that they don't like excessive phosphorus and so many residential garden soils are overloaded with phosphorus from decades of ill conceived fertilization with 'balanced' 20-20-20 fertilizers.

California cut flower growers drip irrigate daily while they are actively growing.

Meropoza I am curious, where are you located? Yours is doing well.

I am in Monterey County CA outside of Salinas towards Monterey.

Must be signed in under an old name. Jubilante=meoropeza

Interesting. I thought it might do better further inland. I guess not. They look fine in the Oakland picture above. Thanks for all the info everybody. I had been considering this plant but will now cross it off my list.

They grow well in Inglewood also, in the industrial park areas where they are replanted (I think) every year.