If you’ll recall, I provided a mid-winter update in which I was mightily worried about the broadleaf evergreens and some deciduous plants.  In late December 2022, we had a real doozie of a cold snap with temperatures going below zero for several days.  As a result, leaves on most all broadleaf evergreens turned brown and fell off.  I had promised to give you an update on how those plants are doing.

We did lose three azaleas; the rhododendrons grew new leaves and managed to bloom this spring.  The umbrella magnolia suffered a few dead branches but is still growing.  The black bamboo froze down to the ground (but it came back, unfortunately).  My big concern was for the cherry laurels which looked dead, dead, dead.

We waited until spring was pretty far along, and they still appeared dead.  When I broke a twig, there was no green to be seen.  We cut them down to the ground but didn’t bother to dig them up at that time.

Lucky for us, we didn’t have the time to dig them up, because now they are growing from their stumps and looking fine.  I may have to shape them up a bit, but that’s all right.  Of course, there’s always a chance that another cold snap may damage them again (in Southern Indiana, you can bet on it).

I did receive some good advice from a professional:  when the weather’s warm, but the forecast calls for a cold snap in the next couple of days, water your broadleaf evergreens a LOT!  As the professional explained it, when the ground freezes, the broadleaf evergreens can’t get bring up water to their leaves, although the leaves are still losing water via “evapotranspiration”.  So, the leaves dry up and turn brown.

Another hazard can be sunburn (really, I’m not kidding!)  I believe the first time the cherry laurels leaves turned brown was because there was a bright sun and snow covering the ground.  The snow reflected the sunlight onto the south side of the cherry laurels which had no shade to protect them.  I’ve read that you can wrap the cherry laurels with burlap to protect them.

I’d like to buy more cherry laurels in the near future but will bear in mind that they will need a little extra care during the winter.

Stay Green, Good Friends!