Key Features
- Brown or black leaves
- Leaf curling
- Shoot dieback
Symptoms
Frost injury is a result of cold temperatures that occur after the plant breaks dormancy. The leaves and stems of new growth typically become brown and curled, or shriveled. New tissue is damaged by the cold and results in holes in the leaf as the rest of the leaf continues to grow and expand. This damage can superficially resemble insect damage. Some conifer species will have branch dieback.
Biology
Frost injury occurs if a plant breaks dormancy too early or if temperatures get too low in the spring after a warm period.
Management Recommendations
Selective pruning can help rid of any unsightly leaves, and the leaves will eventually be shed, and new growth develop. Be cautious not to prune out new buds that will be forming near the start of the branch dieback.
Effective Pesticides
Pesticides are neither available nor recommended for managing this condition.
Resources
