Is my Buddleja a gonner...?

Hi all,
I joined about 10 min ago and I'm already asking for your advice! Have already asked this question on other garden forums, not one reply...... Hopefully you are a clever lot who knows better...! Here we go.
I have a Buddleja "Lochinch", about 3 years old. Last year it was lovely and flowered profusely. This year it was growing fine, until a few weeks ago. One half of the bush, on one of the main stems from the base, all the leaves started to droop and wilt (not going yellow). It looked like it had not had water for a very long time! No sign of anyinsects or bugs of any kind. The other half looks absolutely fine. I decided (right or wrong) to cut this stem back right to the base. In the middle of the cut area (see photo) there is a suspicious looking black bit. Is this the problem and will the rest of the bush go the same way? Can anybody throw some light on this and give me some advice, please?

 

Welcome to GC ellabella. It would help to know what area of the country you are in so that we know what type of climate it's growing in. Also a full picture of the plant and where it's sited would be useful as well please.

 

Hi Sheal, When it stops (hopefully) chucking it down, I will get a picture of the plant and give more info. Have now added my location, I'm still trying to figure out how to add things in my profile and all the other bits and pieces. It seems quite complicated to a newbie.....

 

Oh, you've got lousy weather too! Okay, I'll wait for the picture.

It does take a while to set up your profile, if you get stuck just ask and I or another member will help you out.

 

The garden is now well and truly watered and the butts are overflowing!

Some pic's of the remains of the buddleja, it looks kind of weird with more than half of it gone. It's in an open and fairly sunny (ha! I wish) position facing south/southwest, good soil - quite loamy. It's quite a sheltered garden and the sea is not far away.
Hope this can be of some help.......

 

Thanks for the re-assuring words, John. Time will tell.............!

 

I asked for the pictures to see if the plant was growing close to any buildings, they can often create problems. Your soil is good and your coastal position shouldn't make any difference. There can only be two other ways to think.

First, there is a possibility that the Buddleja is lacking nutrients because of all the rain washing through the soil, although I think this unlikely as these plants tend to put up with anything.

Second, I suspect there is a fungal problem that has attacked the roots which would explain the wilting. The black marking on the cut stem could be an indication. As John has said you have done the right thing by removing the affected branch/es and it may well stall the spread.

Keep an eye on it to see if it suffers any more, meanwhile if you feel the need you could treat it with a fungicide to see if that solves the problem.

 

Thanks Sheal, for that very comprehensive reply!
I know Buddlejas are usually bomb-proof, they grow out of brick walls for goodness sake!
Your thoughts about it being a fungal problem is interesting, I think you are on the right road here. It just seems to fit with that black area. I will treat it with some fungicide and keep a close eye on it.
I would hate to loose it, as I am very much a wildlife gardener. It was buzzing with life last year and is such a lovely bush!
I am so impressed with GC, so many replies and encouraging words! The only problem is, I have a feeling one could spend an awful lot of time on this site...............

 

Grab a seat, pour yourself a cuppa (make a flask as back up), make a round of sandwiches and check your fruit bowl is full - we wouldn't members to waste away while they are here

 

That's not the only place ellabella! They won't grow in my present garden.

Welcome on board ellabella, I'm glad we're making an impression and as "M" says grab a seat.....you're likely to be here for hours on end. During the summer months I tend to spend a minimum of five hours a day here, it's my second home!

 

Crikey Sheal, between gardening and sleeping, five hours is not to be sniffed at! In the summer, I can be so busy I don't get chance to get on here for days sometimes

 

The time soon goes @"M", when you think a lengthy post takes a good twenty minutes to put together and I spend a fair amount of time answering lawn questions this time of year, they are never straight forward. I was in the 'Lawns' forum an hour and a half yesterday.

Add on 'PM' replies, my own subject interests and then I 'scout' most threads to build my general knowledge and answer other questions. Five hours gets swallowed up in no time! I'm here most evenings and sometimes during the day, when I leave I go to two other forums and fall into bed somewhere between 1 and 2am.

 

That sounds like a plan!

 

Wow. I'm a bit speechless here.........