My fuscia doesn't appear to have any new buds on it - is it dead or just lazy?

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Our front garden has a massive fuscia in it that flowers beautifully each year and I usually cut it right back around this time of year when I see the new growth just starting.

I'm SURE I've usually seen some new growth by now, and there's just nowt! Do you think it's died in the harsh winter weather or should I just be patient and see if it does something?

I had one in the back garden, they're so beautiful aren't they? Unfortunately I've just had to remove mine as the harsh winter has killed it off completely. It took a hammering last winter but new shoots soon appeared from the ground, but nothing this year - it usually has lots of buds right about now (Easter) but nothing, and when I peeled the bark it was rotten, the main trunk snapped of in my hand
I've been avidly trying to find another to replace her but can't find anything near the mature size I want!

Have a good look at the bark, and keep an eye on the ground, something may well appear soon, I've got my fingers crossed for you, they really are lovely!

No idea where you are in the UK but do remember plants are far more savvy than us !
Our vast bush in the front garden would not die if I threw a few litres of glyphosate on it so one or two harsh Winters will not impress it either. Bit of a feed now, sunshine it knows is not to be trusted so will take in the feed and wait. It warms up and suddenly new growth. Looks so delicate but one very hardy plant, never managed to kill one yet.

Melina, I had another look today again but it really does look like it's had it. No new shoots whatsoever anywhere. It all just looks completely brittle. But....TheOldBrigade, I will take your advice and give it a feed. I really did think I'd see something when I looked today as we had a few days last week of lovely sunshine and temps around 20C - fabulous weather. I'm in the northwest of England by the way - our winter was bloody the worst I've ever seen. Over 2 weeks of thick ice and snow lying on the ground, temperatures down to minus 10 at night and struggling to get to freezing point during the day. No wonder the thing is struggling. I've lost a hebe too, but that's understandable as they aren't the most hardy things, I know. And a griselinia littoralis which was only planted at the end of last summer. It barely coped with the first frost, and then just gave up.

I do try and give things a chance. I've got a nice unusually-leaved euonymous still in a pot that I didn't get round to planting last year which has all turned brown and dead-looking. But at the very base, one of the leaves looks green and moist, so I haven't binned it yet.

I'll update the thread if anything comes back to life!!!

Everything is very late this year! I though our fuchsia had had it, but I just noticed some teeny tiny green leaves appearing at the base. Ditto my lovely acer. Our 20 foot palm tree, however......call the undertaker.

Keep it for a couple more weeks, then you'll know for sure.

And Melina, yes, you're right, I'll be sad if it really IS dead. It is next to some solidago and in the summer the contrast between the bright yellow of that and the, well, fuschia colour of the fuschia looks AMAZING, especially on a sunny day - it really cheers you up looking out the front window and seeing such lovely bright colours. If it IS dead, I'd love to put an other in its place too.

Yep, I think I will definitely wait, Chocco. Shame about your poor tree...bet that's a bugger to sort out now - what are you going to do with it? Will it have to be removed completely?

That's exactly it, very brittle and not a spot of those lovely red shoots in site! They are the most beautiful site when in full bloom ...plus I used to love pooping the flower heads ...naughty I know!
Sorry to hear about your palm tree Chocco, are you going to replace it with a similar size specimen? There are some fabulous mature plants to be had from various sources online, although I've yet to find a mature fuchsia, I'm far too impatient to wait for one to grow to the same size as my dearly departed one!
I really, really REALLY hope that we don't have yet another winter of Siberian weather conditions!

yy there's a few things in my garden which I would normally expect to see green shoots from, by this time of year.

I got rid of a penstemon last week but do wonder if I'd just left it there and fed it, whether it would have persevered.

If you like it, stick with it, I say. It might surprise you.

Yes, I've very peeved about my palm - it was here when we moved in, and is in a lovely position. We are quite high up here, so maybe the snow was just too much for it this year. It is quite dead, just two stumpy trunks with no leaves left at all!

I think we are getting a "man" in to take out some evergreens that have outstayed their welcome, so he can hopefully take out the palm as well.

There's a lovely place in Sussex called Architectural Plants which sells all sorts of gorgeous exotic sculptural plants of all sizes, but it is £££ so I might have to save up to replace it.

I've just had a look at their website chocco, oh my it's divine!!!! I've taken the liberty of ordering a catalogue! ...well it's rude not too

I'm after a mature standard bay, but have a feeling the £££ will have to be saved up here too!

Their catalogue is a work of art too. I defy anyone to read it and not want to buy something!

Easiest way- scrape a tiny bit of bark back with your thumbnail. if it's green underneath it's alive. If it's brown it's dead. if it's brown at the shoot ends, work your way back to the base of the main trunk. You only need to scrape a weeny bit off, so no harm done :)

I'm sure there's going to be plenty of purchasing Chocco!!! ....will definitely need to stock pile the fleece though!

It may well not be dead. I live in SE Scotland and our fuschia is not yet showing any signs of life. I'm pretty sure it will come to life though as it looked the same this time last year. It is a common or garden fuschia with red / purple flowers. I had more delicate ones that were different variaties that did die the winter before last though.

bumping this in excitement! What do you think my mum noticed yesterday peeking out of the ground at the base of "dead" fuchsia? Looks like brand new growth from underground. Totally brand new flimsy puny stems but it means is not totally dead like i thought a few weeks back. Nothing coming out of the above ground main dead-looking thick woody branches though so what do I do with them? Cut all the woody stuff right down to the ground and hope it will regenerate properly from below ground?

some people say you should chop them right back to the ground each year anyway, so dont think this would hurt curly. what i've done with mine is cut back the dead wood to ground and left the ones that are budding - as someone else says you can scrape away bit of wood and see if its green underneath. some years if they are getting a bit OTT i chop them all back to ground to tidy up - so will be fine, though really a bit later than i normally do it

why don't you take some cuttings? they are very easy to do - i've loads of bushes. you have to do it a bit later in the year though - around aug time i think

Sounds like my fuscia, I think the frost got it, I cut all the dead looking wood away and it's coming up a treat now.

I'm dying to get out there and chop it all down to see what the new growth does but the weather's been rubbish, don't fancy doing it in the rain...

hi I remember my grandfather taught me if fusshia doesn't start shoot in spring dig up and cover with growing compound(peat) and cover. I did and mine are now rooting and shooting through peat well. hope not too late for you out there. good luck