Wilting Plant

[SRBinNYC]

Hello,

Hopefully someone can help:

Clethra Sixteen Candles Summersweet Shrub​

... received plant shipment--looked okay
... placed in ground, dappled light most of day with direct afternoon sun (plant characteristic "Full Sun" to Full Shade")
... leaves are wilted, but reman green.

What's going on, and what can be done?

 

[Marck]

First things first. Clethra alnifolia cultivars, such as 'Sixteen Candles', want average to wet soil conditions.This plant needs to be well-watered immediately after planting and kept watered subsequently.
If this was done and the plant is still wilting then there is a serious problem. Some cause is interfering with the plant's uptake of water.

Examine the base of the plant. Has it been injured near the juncture of stem and root? If so the plant may be fatally damaged.
if you don't find physical damage, then the plant may have a disease, be it bacterial, fungal, or water-mold. If this is the case, and judging from the complete state of wilt, recovery is unlikely.

How long ago did you receive and plant this shrub?

 

[Chuck]

I would guess that the plant is in transplant shock, that, and it was not watered in properly. I would treat with SuperThrive and saturate the ground where planted and out to the drip line.