Leaves Turning Brown on a Nyctanthes Arbor-Tristis

By

latha_garden

I live in Los Angeles. I transplanted this plant from a pot to the ground last Saturday. I noticed yesterday that the leaves are slowly turning brown and shrinking. Does anyone know why it happens? Any quick response is appreciated. Thanks.

By Swati Wagh (Guest Post)

Dont worry...mine sheds every year after flowering. It will be ok!

By Lynda (Guest Post)

Your plant grows well in a variety of soils and situations. It may be increased by means of cuttings in early summer and by seeds. This plant is a jasmine like shrub, that can grow into a small tree, related to the Olive family, Oleaceae, also known as Night Jasmine, a native of India, best grown in Florida and S. Calif.outdoors . It is also called, the Tree of Sadness, with flowers that open only from dusk to dawn. It needs fertile peaty soil in a well drained pot, with moist air temp of about 60 degrees Older plants are pruned back, repotted and started over in late winter or early spring. They need
watering freelly from spring to fall, more moderately in winter. Use regular dilute liquid fertilizer during active growth.

I have never grown this plant, but would suggest the brown leaves may indicate overwatering, poor soil
drainage, or transplant shock. If it were mine, although it may be too late, I'd try placing it outside
in a semi-shady area but watching it dry out on a daily basis. If it begins the slightest reblooming, it
might make it. If not, the surest sign of plant death
would be that the bark is not green when scratched, or is mushy when scratched.

Houston has a good climate for tropicals to be grown outdoors, so if it makes it through whatever it's gone through, I'd leave it outdoors and just watch it so it will NEVER dry out OR get watter logged again.
AND, I'd give any new leaves a spritz of Sea Kelp.
Being a Jasmine, they don't like to be touched much.
If anything like a Ficus, they can lose their leaves and look totally dead after MOVED around, then after a week or two of not being moved, they begin to recover. God bless and help you with one of His creations. : )