Weird Boxwood issues!

12 years ago

Ok, so these boxwoods were planted about 4 years ago. They are in zone 5b or 6. They are planted in a center strip between 2 streets. The strip is wide with a walkway down the middle. Both roads are bearly traveled. No salt is ever used on the sidewalk down the center strip. There is a large condo complex on one side of the street that kind of channels the wind down the center strip.

The issue (as you can see in the pictures) is that they have been turning orange. This started last winter. one died during the summer last year. They rest greened up a little bit during the summer but the orange color was still very visible. Now, this winter they are really orange again and I fear they all might die. Does anyone know what might be going on with these boxwoods?

By the way, there is another set of boxwoods on the same center strip about 150 feet away from these and their doing just fine.

Also, the orangish colored boxwoods seem like they are not growing in size anymore. Plus the center strip has irrigation turned on during the summer.

Hope I gave you guys enough info but please tell me anything else you think I might have missed and I'll answer it as best I can.

Thanks so much for any help you can give me to try and save these boxwoods!

Featured Answer

ronalawn82

12 years ago

btalarczyk, check out this site; Bronzing where the issue of Phytophtora is also discussed.
From the photographs I infer that the 'bronzing' starts in the younger parts of the plant; the older leaves appear green still.
The end result is death of the bronzed tips; check if there is any green under the bark of the dead tissue.
On the question of heat damage, one would expect the greatest expression to occur on that part of the shrub facing where the two sidewalks. Is this so? I cannot tell from the 3rd. image.

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Comments (9)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
12 years ago
I can think of three things that can cause stunting and 'bronzing' on boxwood. I'm sure that others will come up with other ideas, too.

The first is a fungal disorder called phytophthora, which is a soil-borne fungus usually seen in chronically moist soils, or in locations that has seen a great deal of rainfall for a short period of time. Boxwood is one of those plant species that is susceptible to phytophthora. If this strip does not drain perfectly or is irrigated too frequently, this disease can begin to cause problems.

Another problem that can cause symptoms like this in boxwood are plant parasitic nematodes. Call your local extension office to see if nematodes are an issue where you live. Parasitic nematodes aren't a problem every where.

Of course, just plain winter injury can cause bronzing with boxwood; cold temperatures plus that wind you mentioned pretty much insures discoloration.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
They are planted in a center strip between 2 streets. The strip is wide with a walkway down the middle. Both roads are bearly traveled. No salt is ever used on the sidewalk down the center strip. There is a large condo complex on one side of the street that kind of channels the wind down the center strip.

==>>> yep you missed it ...

first.. that is winter damage in z5 winter .. dessication caused by wind .. winter sun .. etc ...

but missed is the fact that pavement.. takes.. and retains heat on sunny days .. keeping plants artificially late into the night.. when all of a sudden its near zero at night.. [and dont forget the pavement magnifies the heat/sun in summer also]

no plant has enough of a sense of humor to put up with the repeated freezing and thawing of not only the leaves.. but also the root mass ..

i like to say .. in z5.. that to succeed with certainty.. get the plant dormant.. and keep it dormant.. for the whole winter.. problems start when they start going in and out of dormancy in dec/jan/feb ....

boxwood in z5.. is too foo foo for this application... i am actually surprised they look as good as they do.. and i would predict ultimate failure.. in the next few years.. and hopefully you will not beat your head on the wall and start replacing them repeatedly ...

find something else for that application

and for a shiny nickle i will tell you what i really think.. lol

good luck

ken

ps: and if they are diseased as rhiz suggested.. that is because they are stressed because they are the wrong plant in the wrong place.. and treating the disease.. will not fix the ultimate problem
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btalarczyk
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you both for all the information! This truely is a great website!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
On the question of heat damage, one would expect the greatest expression to occur on that part of the shrub facing where the two sidewalks.

===>>> they said: They are planted in a center strip between 2 streets.

so there is pavement on both sides ... they are baking in a perfect oven.. IMHO ... and its not just winter damage.. but summer damage also .. or summer damage that shows in winter.. on an evergreen ...

ken
hortster
12 years ago
My 'Winter Gem' boxwoods are on the north and remain green all winter, every winter - out of the sun and protected from the wind. A single 'Green Velvet' is freestanding on the south, is in the winter sun, and turns orange every winter and never has had any dieback. Regardless, the rule of thumb is: if the foliage is orange, it is "winter dormant" and will recover, if it is tan, it is toast - trim that part out.
Gotta agree with ken. Wrong plant in the wrong place.
hortster
btalarczyk
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for all your input! I love this website. I will post more pictures so you get a better view of the plant location. Heat may be an issue along with winter damage or dessication. I just find it odd that on the exact same strip not more than 150 feet away, is another ring of boxwoods and these ones are just loving life! No problems at all.

But, it would figure, if these are the wrong plant for the wrong place, they were designed and planted by the same Landscape Architecture company my city has used for years. Its funny that ALL (and I truely mean ALL) of the public beds he has done have failed in one aspect or another and the city always sends me in to redesign and relandscape.
btalarczyk
Original Author
12 years ago
Ok, here are some more pictures. These pictures are actually from last winter, not this winter. The box woods had white leaves last winter! I had forgotten that! I gotta say, they don't look as bad this year as they did last year. We had a much milder winter this year in Cleveland so maybe thats why they don't look as bad as they did in these pictures from last year.

Hope this gives you a better understanding of their location.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
12 years ago
That company is lucky they have municipal work. The city probably hires them because they put the low ball bid in all the time.

If possible, you should try to get on the short list of people who see the design plans BEFORE they become implemented. That way, you can put a stop to foolishness before hand, rather than the city having to fork out money to fix things afterwards.

I've known and worked with many, many landscape architects and can count on one hand those that had a true knowledge of plant material. Sad, but true.

And by the way, if this outfit is aware that their projects fail, they probably publicly blame whoever it is that maintains the landscaping. :-)