Hello,
I went to visit my grandmother today, she was upset that one of her plants/flower is not growing. I looked at it and some of the lower branches/shoots are dead and dry. The tips of the new growth are turning black and welting. She stated that the plants growth this year is stunted. I am not a garden guy, but really wanted to help her out for she does not use the net.

Here are some pictures attached. Two of them are of the plant in question and one is an offspring from the same plant without the issue.

Any help or advice would be great!

Cheers

canlocu,
This is your plant, I believe... Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

Click on the link, and it will tell you something about it, from our database.
I'm sorry I'm no help as far as the problem with it. Hopefully someone else will pop in soon and be able to help.

Hi and welcome. It would help us if we knew where (city/state) the plant is growing. I'm in Florida and have a large plant of the same kind.

Off the top of my head, your first picture shows where a whole bunch of old stems have been cut off, and the leaves you show in that picture look like all new growth. This might explain why it is blooming sparingly, and rather late.

Do you know if it has had any fertilizer this spring? IF it was pruned back a lot last winter, (looks like it) that would be critical to getting it going again in the spring.

My plant is a very large shrub, almost a small tree. I haven't ever pruned it back that much so it keeps on blooming pretty consistently for most of the year.

With all that healthy new green growth, I wouldn't worry too much about the dying branches. Just tell your grandmother not to let anybody prune it for the next year or two.

Thx, ya we are in San Antonio TX. I also felt it was pruned back a lil too much. But you guys/gals don't think the roots are infected?

I think more of the plant would be showing stress if there was a root problem. Most of that new growth looks pretty healthy and green to me.

But do keep an eye on it if you can and post more pictures if it starts to go downhill. You've been having a lot of very hot weather, right? Might want to ask grandma if she has been giving her garden some extra water as the weather got hotter.

Much Thx, I'll pass on the info.

Cheers!!