Diagnose: Boxwood Winter Bronzing

1. Temporary bronzing when buds and stems remain alive
2. Look for a boundary between bronze and green. Color across the south, southwest, west, or windward face while sheltered inner foliage stays green supports winter exposure, especially when leaves remain flexible and the shrub was green before cold weather. Do not decide that a branch is dead from leaf color alone. As buds swell in spring, open one bud scale gently and look for green tissue, then make a light scratch on a small questionable stem. Green beneath the bark means wait for growth, while brown dry tissue and dead buds mean that part suffered lasting injury.

Back to Problem Overview