By Teadrinker
Hampshire,
United Kingdom 
Leucothoe Curly Red keep dying off on me...
I had a cluster of 3 small plants originally from 2 litre type pots, and a larger plant from a 3 litre pot, which have all shown the same type of dieback.
They had come variously from 2 different garden centres and a friend's garden, and while the smaller plants were planted in partial shade in stoney clay, the larger was in full shade in a moister woodsy soil. All were irrigated, but they all have suffered from the leaves drying out and falling off, the twigs themselves being dead, as if they had suffered drought. Couldn't see anything attacking the roots, and surrounding plants unaffected (heucheras, epimediums, foxgloves, cornus midwinter fire).
I've pulled out two completely dead, and am wondering whether it's worth trying to save the last two - they're pretty scruffy now I've trimmed out the dead bits.
Is it just me?
9 Jan, 2014
Answers
Mine don't last either . . . when my first looked sickly, I transferred it into ericaceous compost, but it still wasn't happy.
9 Jan, 2014
Well that's a relief and a disappointment. I'm glad it's not only me who's had a bit of bother with them, but perhaps they're not as resilient as Scarletta or Rainbow, so not worth lavishing too much effort on them any more.
It's a shame because when they were newly planted they looked fab surrounding the base of Cornus Midwinter Fire which is grown on a leg, the colours just sang together.
9 Jan, 2014
Tried twice and failed too! I've better success with Red Lips and royal Ruby.
9 Jan, 2014
I'm always losing these too, but in my case, its probably cos they dry out. They do like acidic soil, (also humus rich) and they don't like drying out, and without those two factors being exactly as they like, they behave like prima donnas and start dying back. I'll admit I've given up with them - our soil is more or less neutral here and I can't rely on the client to water as often as necessary.
9 Jan, 2014