Hi there. Does anyone have any experience with the above 'hop bush'? Last year I removed a 3-4 yr old shrub. It started to die from the top downwards. It looked like it was putting out lots of new shoots, but, they were small and tightly clustered, then would die. I pruned the dead branches, hoping for new growth, but it just did the same. Well you know what happens then - out comes the mattock and good bye plant. In the meantime, I had planted another two of the same in nearby area. They are now 12 months old. One has 80% small leaf clusters and looks straggly, and the second looks really nice and bushy, but does have some of the above. I also have another, in a different location, doing exactly the same.
There are grevilleas, westringias, acacias and lomandra growing really well in this garden bed so I don't know why they are going so bad. Plants are all mulched and watered by drip irrigation. Any thoughts on the above would be appreciated (before I take to them with the mattock!).
TIA.