Q: My daphne looks like it is wilting. I watered it but it does not look any better. How can I save it?

A: You probably can’t save it. Daphne is very susceptible to a disease called Phytophthora, which infects roots of this plant as well as azalea and rhododendron. Once the roots are clogged up by the fungus, no amount of watering can save it. I had a five-year-old daphne by my front steps that was three feet high and four feet wide. It was the picture of health …until I noticed the leaves looking a little wilty one July evening…………..

Despite this, I plan to plant another one in its place as soon as they become available in spring. The fragrance daphne provides in early spring completely makes up for its short life in most landscapes.

Special daphne soil