Another dead Bowles Mauve

[Marb67]

Well, here I go again with another plant that suddenly pops it's clogs for no reason. I had planted a Bowles mauve into the soil as advised here (previous pot plants died) and it did really well, for a couple of years at least until this summer end it started to look sickly and flowers went thin and wispy with the plant getting smaller and smaller (a common thing with a lot of stuff I grow) Why when it had previously given fantastic flowers with bees abundant, right through last winter (obviously no bees then) and 2020 to just die with all the stems dry with no green ?

Gutted

[Snoop Puss]

Nothing lives forever, Marb. I see on some sites that it might live for up to five years, but Gardener's World describes it as "short-lived". Maybe the roots were eaten below ground or maybe it was just done. Gardener's World says it's easily propagated from cuttings if you have the time and space to do this with your next plant if you try again.

[Marb67]

Well it should last longer than that, especially being so healthy and abundant with flowers. I have known it to last years in other gardens. I also bought a different coloured version a few years ago and that also died after 1 season.

[Babru]

My first one in this garden lasted three years. It flowered from when I bought it, virtually till it popped its clogs, I think they just flower themselves to death. I've taken a cutting of my current one, in anticipation of its demise. Worth the effort though, fabulous plants.

[Babru]

Well, an update on my Bowles Mauve. Absolutely blowing a gale here today, with very strong gusts of wind. The BM was heaved out of the ground, flung in the air, then has been rolling around the garden like tumbleweed. Tiny little rootball for the size of plant.

My cat was looking out of the window at the time and reared back in alarm!

Good job I have that cutting.

[Marb67]

Well, another one gone. Its absolutely beyond me as this has been planted out into the soil from a new plant last Spring. Other less hardy plants in the garden have survived (fennel) and yet this is going downhill and dying. I just about managed to have taken 4 cuttings but I doubt they will take.

BTW - why when I upload a photo here (showing in my message before I post) do I get a "please upload at least one photo" message when I click on post ? its frustrating.

[redfruit]

my 2 seem to have died in their 3rd year. They did really well last summer but the leaves drooped badly over autumn/winter (planted in different spots). Have pruned a little but not looking like they'll recover now. Will probably replace but it's a shame they didn't last longer.

[Marb67]

Completely dead now. Absolutely no logical reason when more tender plants have survived in my garden. I’ll just wait for the cuttings I took from it to die also to put the top hat n it.

[Babru]

my 2 seem to have died in their 3rd year. They did really well last summer but the leaves drooped badly over autumn/winter (planted in different spots). Have pruned a little but not looking like they'll recover now. Will probably replace but it's a shame they didn't last longer.

I've always been led to believe they are short lived because they flower themselves to death, so regular cuttings are required. They are amazing flowerers.

[Jungle Jane]

I've always been led to believe they are short lived because they flower themselves to death, so regular cuttings are required. They are amazing flowerers.

I read the same thing about them,the flowers are sterile,it keeps on flowering trying to produce seed & exhausts the plant. Take regular cuttings when you see new flower buds,cut the open flowers to save energy so it doesn’t have as many flowers.

[Babru]

I've bought mine in Morrisons previously, very reasonably, and potentially worth growing even as an annual, as it flowers for such a long season. I must look out for another....

[Marb67]

Well it's now gone. Another waste of money. My cuttings, although still upright have no roots on them yet so probably going the same way.