Help with Serissa please!!

Hi

i am from South Africa and currently have a serisssa or snow rose, however it has dried out and lost all its leaves, i have been watering it and have cut back all the dry leaves and branches, we are currently going into spring and the plant is still alive. any tips on how i could restore the foilage and have it looking healthy again?

Serrisa have a reputation for being difficult, I think we might worry them to death. They respond to the same things as other plants, pay attention to not over or under water, use a meat skewer in the soil, wet wood don't water, dry wood water. Explain where you are keeping the plant, how you are watering, etc.

I am currently using a wooden scewer to check the soil before watering. Ive been constantly misting the area's which ive cut back, is that fine? ive got the tree on a Patio area which is north facing and generally warm however i do not allow direct sunlight to hit the tree since the afternoon sun is pretty harsh and i dont think a serissa is suited for such. is there anything else i could possibly do? Thank you for your feedback thus far:)

I don't mist, I water from above until the water runs out, I do this three times to make sure the plant is thourghly watered, my serrisa sit on benches in full Florida sun.

I've been lead to believe by various sources that serissa do not do well in full sun, however i will try out what you've mentioned and hopefully il have a healthy looking Serissa soon.

On the 43rd Parallel, I put serissa out for the summer gradually in almost full sun.
Iris

Mo wrote:I've been lead to believe by various sources that serissa do not do well in full sun, however i will try out what you've mentioned and hopefully il have a healthy looking Serissa soon.

Who are these people? Have you ever seen a serissa in shade, I mean really!

Where in SA do you live MO? And why do you mist the pruned area...... is that advice from the same People?

I would Follow Billy's advice. Serissa also flower better when stressed.

From the West Indies / Caribbean,

all of my serissas are grown in full sun. They like a freely draining soil and when happy, a very weak [ 1/3 strength ] fertilizer once a week added into moist soil.
I allow them to flower for 1 month and then cut back beyond the flowering mass.

No problems to report, easy shrub to grow.
Best to you.
Khaimraj

* Try to grow from cuttings and learn with at least 5 plants.