Question

HousePlant1   Mr. Creed, please help us identify the plant pictured. The plant was originally part of a dish garden that also included a vine. Both plants were recently repotted because they outgrew the old container. We have done an extensive search online, but have not been able to find a picture of it anywhere & as a result, we have no idea what its common or botanical name is; so we do not know how to properly take care fot it. Currently, the wood stems are drying out and it appears to be dying; however, the top of the plant where the leaves are - are still green. Any assistance that you can provide to help us identify the plant, its proper care, & what we can do to aide in its recovery, will be greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Answer
Hi there,

It is hard to tell from the photos provided, but it looks like your plant is a Sweet Olive or Osmanthus fragrans.

It is normal for the lower stems to become woody as they age. New growth is always at the top ends of stems, so lower leaves that have dropped off never get replaced. As a result, you end up with long leggy stems.

Your plant抯 pot is larger than ideal, but I don't recommend downsizing or repotting. However with large pots, you have to be careful to allow the top quarter of the soil to dry in between waterings to avoid inadvertent overwatering and root rot.

Your plant is also suffering from inadequate light. Increased light will allow the stems to support more leaves. It is best located right on a windowsill of a moderately sunny window.

The only way to eliminate the leggy stems is to prune them back. As I mentioned earlier, new growth is always at the ends of the stems, so you have to shorten the stems to get new growth lower down. Any or all of the stems can be pruned back to a height of 4-6 inches. New growth will emerge just below the point where you make the pruning cuts.

I have written an article on pruning that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com