Daphne, sunflowers and other concerns

Sudden loss of a fragrant daphne bush was one of the concerns discussed over the phone with gardeners in recent days. Here are a few of their questions.

Q. I had a daphne that was growing underneath a bird feeder that was filled with black sunflower seeds. There are about 3 inches of hulls that eventually developed over the daphne, and the daphne died. Is there something about sunflower seed hulls that makes daphne die? H.L., Lynchburg
A. You are right to suspect the sunflower seed hulls, because they are known to contain natural toxins which can kill certain plants. Also consider the fact that daphne is quite particular about its environment and cultural practices.Daphnes “die for no explicable reason,” according to the “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants” by Michael Dirr.
After watching several of his own daphnes die, Dirr wrote, “When they decide to go, it is usually with haste … one day green … the next day crinkled, dry looking leaves.”
Fragrant daphne, also called winter daphne, is perfectly cold-hardy in the Lynchburg area. It is not common in local yards, possibly because it is difficult to grow.

Q. Twigs have been falling off my magnolia tree every day for the last week. I have a whole garbage bag full of 8- to 10-inch magnolia twigs, which were on the ground by the tree. It is an old tree, and I have never seen this kind of thing happen before. B.C., Lynchburg
A. Squirrels seem to enjoy chewing off twigs and branches, for some unknown reason. Perhaps the squirrels will soon stop chewing on the tree and chew on something else instead.

Q. How do I remove the remains of English ivy? It left persistent marks on everything after I pulled the vines off my house. D.M., Lynchburg
A. Ivy climbs any vertical object, thanks to its tiny holdfasts. These unsightly structures persist for years after the ivy is gone, whether they are on brick, concrete, wood or vinyl. The better strategies for removing holdfasts are scraping, sanding and brushing them off with a steel brush. There is no product you can put on holdfasts to make them let go.

Q. I don’t have any trouble with houseflies any other time than November. How they get indoors is a mystery to me. It’s a new home, tight and so forth. I don’t know whether this would be something in your line or not, but I would certainly appreciate (information). R.W.M., Lynchburg
A. These may not be ordinary houseflies. If you bring me some to identify, then I will be in a better position to advise you on fly control. (His flies were identified as bronze bottle flies, which breed on dead animals.)