Hopseed advice and landscaper woes
Zone 8 - Southern Utah:
I hired a landscaper to install one Wilson olive tree and seven hopseed shrubs along my backyard wall. Four of the hopseeds were planted first, but the remaining three were delayed because of sourcing issues from the local nursery.
Now that they're all in the ground, the first four and the last three look noticeably different. The first four have a darker, more purple tone, while the last three are much brighter green. The landscaper says it's just a watering issue and has recommended deep watering with stakes. I've followed that advice for several weeks, but there's been little to no change.
My concern is that these may actually be different cultivars, seed lots, or strains rather than simply plants under different stress levels. If that's the case, I'm worried they'll always look mismatched, especially once they're mature. Since they're planted in a straight row across the entire back wall, it's pretty noticeable.
Has anyone run into this before?
- Can watering alone cause this much difference in color?
- If you were in my position, would you ask the landscaper to replace the mismatched plants so they all match, or am I overthinking it?
- Will these likely blend together over time, or am I looking at a permanent difference?
I'd appreciate any opinions, especially from landscapers or anyone who's grown hopseed in the Southwest.