Florida gardening: Firebush losing leaves? Be a detective to discover the cause

Q: Our 15-year-old firebush has grown into a 15-foot tree. However, the past two years the north side of it is barren during the winter with few leaves in the spring and summer. The south side stays full all year. We prune from the inside each spring. Fertilize too. Any suggestions?

-- Donna, via email

A: Known as Hamelia patens to scientists and horticulturists, this fabulous plant is native to Florida, Bermuda, and Central and South America. It is a large shrub or small tree with a rounded or open shape. It quickly grows 12- to 15-feet tall. The bark is dark brown, and the plants grow with multiple trunks. The leaves are evergreen, elliptical, and covered with hairs flattened to the leaf.

The flowers are held in branched clusters at the ends of the branches. They are tubular and primarily red, sometimes with a bit of yellow when in the bud. The flowers provide nectar to black swallowtail and several other butterflies and are often visited by bees. The fruit that follows the flowers is a black berry eaten by mockingbirds and other avian visitors.

Firebush is an undemanding plant in the landscape. It is cold sensitive and can be damaged by frost. The soil should be well-draining though Firebush is drought tolerant once established. It is moderately salt-tolerant and rarely bothered by pests, though aphids are often found on the new growth.

Leaf drop can be caused by many things. Shade, soil content, water standing or runoff, herbicide application – weed and feed is often an issue or root damage. The north side could be the recipient of cold winds during the winter. If this is a new occurrence, play detective and try and determine the cause or causes of decline.

Any change in the area surrounding the tree should be suspect. Has there been construction in the area? Soil removed or added around the roots? Remember, the roots spread out one and a half to three times the width of the canopy, and as little as two inches of soil added or removed from the root zone is enough to trigger a problem.

Take a look around for anything different. Look at the base of the plant for the addition of soil or very thick mulch against the trunk. Ask the neighbor if they are using herbicide. Inspect the trunk for splits or damage. If there are no changes to the area, no weed and feed fertilizer applications, or digging in the root zone, then maybe the plant has grown into the change; soil, shade, or competition with another plant.

Play detective and let us know what you find, Firebushes are primarily tolerant and pest-free, but Firebush can be ended by human interference.

Carol Cloud Bailey is a landscape counselor and horticulturist. Send questions to [email protected] or visit www.yard-doc.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Firebush is an undemanding plant but it is cold sensitive.