Now that spring is here and we are out in our yards it doesn’t take long to notice that there can be some damage to plants in our landscapes. This damage, caused by the winter weather, can be found on a number of evergreen shrubs. Plants like Holly, evergreen Viburnum, Euonymus, Alberta Spruce and Rhododendrons are showing brown foliage in some yards from the record cold temperatures and winds that we experienced in February. The big question is, how severe is this damage to the long term health of the plants and is there anything we should be doing about it now?

The best thing we can do now is to just wait, since this is most likely a temporary situation and completely normal for some plants when we have severe winter weather. Most of this “winter burn” is from the strong sun and wind we had when it was so cold in February. What happens in the plants is that the leaves continue to release small amounts of moisture when the plant system is frozen. When this condition exists, the plants are unable to bring up fluids quickly enough to the tissue (leaves) that are losing moisture. The parts of the plants that loose excessive amounts of moisture are damaged and the result is brown foliage. So sit tight and wait to see what happens when new growth begins to immerge. If we leave the plants alone, new growth will normally cover over the damaged areas and the brown leaves will fall off later in the season.

If the plants that you see with the brown leaves or needles were planted within the last year, they are probably under some kind of warranty. It is a common mistake to dig up the plant and return it to the nursery or garden center for replacement before discussing the situation with the supplier. It is best to discuss the condition of the plant(s) with your nursery to determine the best course of action. Since the plants are established and the new roots are already growing, the last thing we want to do is start over with a new plant and lose a whole year of plant maturity.

If you notice something that doesn’t look quite right with your plants after this winter, give your favorite nursery a call and discuss the situation. And as they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Take a look at the above pictures as examples of what to look for in your landscape.