Thursday, April 1, 2021

Is My Evergreen Tree Dead?

Many people have been calling the Tree Wizards asking about trees such as this one: 

Tree Wizard, help! Is my tree dead?

Due to the cold period we had last month, we have seen an unprecedented amount of dieback on some of our evergreens-including shrubs such as nandinas, boxwood, and hollies. 
At Tree Wizard, we are recommending that homeowners wait and watch for sprouts. In the case of the tree above, a closer inspection revealed that the tree is already beginning to form new sprouts. 

The more tender cells in the needles perished due to the cold, but the stem and branches remain intact!


When looking for new growth in your shrubs, try looking at the bud on the stem and not the dead or dying leaves. However, in nadinas we have seen new growth (which present as small red shoots) primarily from the base of the stem or near the lower portion of the shrub.

This baby magnolia reflects the leaf damage on many of the Southern Magnolia trees around Norman.

Should We Do Anything to Help Our Plants?

We suggest giving extra Nitrogen to your evergreen plants that have experienced sudden leaf drop due to the cold. Tree Wizard suggests using an organic nitrogen fertilizer such as blood meal dispersed according to the package directions this spring to help with the new leaf growth. If blood meal isn't an option due to critters, there are some fine spike fertilizers you drive into the ground which are sold as Hedge/Shrub fertilizer at the big box stores. 

In general, keeping your plants properly watered and mulched will help avoid extra stress and aid the general health of the plant.