Water Hawthorn dead?

Hi all

I bought this water hawthorn a couple of weeks ago and it’s completely died back.
I’m aware that in the hot summers they can do and grow back in winter but up until now it’s not been that hot and it’s still pretty early in the year for dieback, right?

Is it dead or is it just resting?

 

Who knows, just a case of wait an see I would suggest.
Water temperature may not be the only trigger to go dormant, day length might be part of it as well.
When I grew it it always went dormant in summer, which was my main reason for giving up on it.

 

Thanks @pete

It’s a bit frustrating as the guy in the pond shop suggested it as an alternative to lilies but didn’t say it’ll cop it for the summer

I’m tempted to get a lily and try it even though I know it’s probably too shady as I’d like some cover over the water

 

Mine come and go throughout the year, but they do prefer cooler conditions in summer. Mine always did really well when the pond was small and in a lot more shade. In this one, it does better in spring and later summer, as it's sunnier.
It seeds around too, and I'm not expecting a lot from it this year as I've been dividing and moving lots of plants, so I know I've disturbed it. It flowered in May though, but May was very hot here this year for several weeks.
I'd get it into a deeper site though, which will help. Mine have always been in about 8 to 12 inches [20 to 30 cm] depth, rather than shallower sites.

 

Good point, it's it's first year?
So really you need to wait at the very least a year before you can make a final verdict.
I've never found actual submerged type plants to be fast at getting established, marginal plants tend to be quicker IMO.

I think you have to give it time, even a waterlily, unless a large root, would take a couple of years to get into full flow.

 

I think you can actually plant/place them quite deeply, and my small pond was probably deeper than this one. The original plant [moved from that pond] is in the deepest part I could manage to dig out [probably about a foot or so] with the pygmy water lily, but there isn't a lot of room for them both. I split the water lily this year, and created an extra little deep area, so there should be more room for the hawthorn.
They seed into the shallower sites, but it's a case of waiting to see if those seedlings manage where it's shallower. This new pond has only been in situ a few years, so it's early days for those.

I agree with @pete - water lilies also take a few years until properly settled, but I expect it's like every plant - some will be quicker than others. I bought a dwarf bullrush for this pond, and last year was the first time it 'flowered'.

 

Many years ago when I planted up my pond I did get fairly demoralised in the first couple of years.
I bought a couple of waterlily plants and it was about three years I think before I got my first flower, the plants sold at garden centres were so small but very expensive.
I had a clear out a few years back and dragged out under water stems almost 2ins in diameter.
Put them on local Facebook page at £5 each, sold them all in 10 minutes.

 

I tried water forget me not a few years ago which just disappeared, I tried one again last year and it has taken off and done really well, still plenty of flowers on it. No idea why one should die and another do well.
If your pond is small have you thought about pygmy waterlilies. I have 3 in my pond which do well, I split them last year and was able to share them with my daughter. Nowhere near as invasive as regular ones.

 

I grow some of the water forget -me-knot [white one] in borders.
It's very vigorous for me. Pond has loads of seedlings which are doing well.

 

Mine is the lovely traditional sky blue one.

 

Thanks everyone! Busy day at work so just catching up!

I might drop it down to the deeper section, I’d probably around 3ft there, would that be too deep? The label says 10-90cm to the top of the pot.

 

I'd be careful as its not established, so if it does start to regrow it could struggle to get its leaves to the surface.
Id not expect much now until September.

 

I guess I’ll just have to wait and see @pete

Having dropped it in, I don’t think it’s as deep as I thought, let’s see what happens come the autumn!

 

When and if it starts to regrow you can always lower it slowly then.

 

Maybe I should get a block to put under it and lift it a little. I’ll see what I can half inch from one of my building sites