My gardenia plant seems to be dying (brown leaves) - need help in reviving it. - Ask Extension
I live in California and new to gardening. I have an outdoor gardenia plant. It was healthy until about a week ago. All of a sudden the leaves started...
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My gardenia plant seems to be dying (brown leaves) - need help in reviving it. #892440
Asked February 07, 2025, 11:05 PM EST
I live in California and new to gardening. I have an outdoor gardenia plant. It was healthy until about a week ago. All of a sudden the leaves started turning brown and now it has spread to most of the plant. I went to the store and I was asked to get neem oil and spray which I have done. I also removed most of the dried leaves. I don't want this plant to die. Any help in reviving the plant is very welcome. I am in a 9b zone, if that helps. Lately we have had heavy rains and also some very cold mornings.
I am attaching photos of the plant.
Thanks
Kay
Santa Clara County California
Expert Response
I did not see any attached photos. Neem oil works on specific problems but if you do not know the cause, neem may not be a solution, especially on something that has taken place in such a shout time. It is interesting that the plant has failed is such a short time. I am curious - how far are you from the fires in California? Were you down wind from the fires and possibly exposed to the smoke from them?
There has been a lot of rain lately in some parts of California. Are you in one of those areas that have received lots of rain and low sunlight for an extended period?
Do you keep the plant in a pot? Have you repotted it lately?
The quick failure could be due to a lot of water in a short period of time resulting in root damage. The plant likes a pH around 5 - 6 so a lot of water could change the pH. The plant likes bright, indirect sun but if it has been cloudy, this can weaken the plants ability to draw some of the water away from the roots. It likes moist soil but not wet. If the humidity is too high, this will also slow the plant's ability to clear the water.
Check the soil for excess water. Combined with cool nights this can cause the roots to rot. The leaves may have died off but the plant may still be alive. Look close at the stems to see if the are green buds. It may put out new leaves. You may need to repot but this is a bit early for a plant that is already weak. You might be able to just remove some of the soil in the pot and replace it with fresh soil without removing all the soil from the roots.
This is a hard to say for sure since I am not there to check all of these factors to make a very informed decision on this. You will need to make some judgment calls on this one. If there is an extension office in your area, I suggest contacting them directly or possible a local garden club. Sometimes they have people willing to help.
There has been a lot of rain lately in some parts of California. Are you in one of those areas that have received lots of rain and low sunlight for an extended period?
Do you keep the plant in a pot? Have you repotted it lately?
The quick failure could be due to a lot of water in a short period of time resulting in root damage. The plant likes a pH around 5 - 6 so a lot of water could change the pH. The plant likes bright, indirect sun but if it has been cloudy, this can weaken the plants ability to draw some of the water away from the roots. It likes moist soil but not wet. If the humidity is too high, this will also slow the plant's ability to clear the water.
Check the soil for excess water. Combined with cool nights this can cause the roots to rot. The leaves may have died off but the plant may still be alive. Look close at the stems to see if the are green buds. It may put out new leaves. You may need to repot but this is a bit early for a plant that is already weak. You might be able to just remove some of the soil in the pot and replace it with fresh soil without removing all the soil from the roots.
This is a hard to say for sure since I am not there to check all of these factors to make a very informed decision on this. You will need to make some judgment calls on this one. If there is an extension office in your area, I suggest contacting them directly or possible a local garden club. Sometimes they have people willing to help.
