We’ve had these bushes behind our house (Kansas City, MO) for the 10 years we’ve leaved here. One started to brown a couple years ago and then this winter, they accelerated into this. Are they DEAD dead? Any thoughts on what would’ve killed them? (We have no idea what type of bushes they are.) Should we just replace them?
by icetreyND
26 Comments
Those are dead dead.
A shovel or a couple cans of green spray paint are the choices lol
Boxwood, get something that is more hardy and native to your range
Ha, from KC as well and just posted about our horrible boxwoods as well.
Late frost killed a bunch of plants this winter
I live in the KC area and the late freeze killed my boxwoods, which looked like yours do.
Inkberry Hollie’s are a good alternative to boxwoods and they’re native.
Yes
Let them go? They already went!
goodbye!
I see some evidence of life. You *could* try cutting out all the dead wood and see if they bounce back (I’ve seen plants I thought for SURE were dead come back with surprising vigor) but you’re talking about a years-long process with long odds of working… and all for a boxwood hedge?
If it were my yard I’d get rid of them. Go to a local, independent nursery and shop around for something you like and is good for your zone.
Nah bro those leaves are still on there tight, you have at least a summer before they’re bald.
But seriously— it was that cold snap. Possibly with boxwood blight or something mixed in if they’ve been on the decline for a few years. Plenty of good replacements.
Depends on you. You willing to do a little work to save them or do you just want to yank them. You’re asking here so I think you already know the answer. It’s up to you.
Its worse then that its dead jim
The boxwood blight. Cost me a hedgerow in Michigan this year.
They already left.
Those are Japanese Boxwoods. They are pretty lousy plants, smells like cat pee and aren’t good for pollinators. Pull them out and landscape the area with native plants.
Those a are Natural Brown Texas Brush Shrubs
Weekend at Bernie’s
It looks like you already did lol.
The roots will be the challenge.
Definitely boxwood blight. Consider it a gift. They are environmentally bereft of any value. You can plant something native and far more beneficial.
Past time.😥
There’s a disease that attacks boxwoods called boxwood blight which is a fungus. IF caught early enough, it can be successfully treated but it’s a long process and in the meantime it can spread to other plant material. If you’re patience you can treat and prune but honestly yours are pretty bad and you are better off replacing due to potential damage to other nearby plant material.
Dig them up and say goodbye. Get hedge plants that are hardier for your wintertime climate. Browse the internet and ask at local nurseries.
The digging up part should not be so difficult. But I’d cut them by at least half first, throw that stuff away, THEN dig up what’s left and throw that away just to make it easier to do. Maybe do all this over a few weeks so you can dispose of them with your leaf litter garbage pickup.
Then clean up and amend the soil, and plant a nice row of something tougher. A KC winter is not for the weak.