Under the burden of boxwood borers, Buxus shoot dieback and care errors, a boxwood tree can lose its will to live. The evergreen tree sheds its leaves and dries up. This dilemma does not necessarily mean a floral death sentence. Read here how you can clearly identify a dead box tree.
How do I recognize a dead boxwood?
A boxwood is dead when all parts of the plant have turned brown and dried out, the foliage feels woody and dry and there are no more green leaves to be found. If shoots break and brown, dried tissue becomes visible under the bark, the boxwood can no longer be saved.
When is the boxwood dead?
A boxwood is dead when all parts of the plant arecolored brownanddried up. If you grab the tree with both hands, the leaves feel woody and dry and crumble between your fingers. If you push the branches apart, you can no longer see any green leaves. ThisVitality Test provides clear evidence that your boxwood has died:
- Shoots cannot be bent, but break through.
- Dried brown tissue appears under the bark of broken branches.
- All the roots of the excavated boxwood have dried up or rotted.
Tip
Rejuvenation pruning can save apparently dead boxwood
Before you declare your boxwood dead, turn back time with a step-by-step rejuvenation cut. The best time is in February. In the first stage, cut back half of all dried shoots by two thirds. Next year, the other half of the boxwood will be radically pruned. The rescue operation is accompanied by regular fertilization and watering as needed.
