Michigan State University Extension
Ornamental Plants plus Version 3.0 - 00001639
11/12/99
Cold Injury
Cold injury should not be confused with browning of
evergreen foliage. The winter injury described here is
the death of entire stems of either evergreen or deciduous
trees or shrubs.
Plants affected by this type of injury often try to leaf
out or even flower in the spring. Soon after the first
hot weather occurs, however, they wilt and die. Often
very little of the plant will try to leaf out. After the
new shoots die, shrubs may send up new, more vigorous
shoots from the base. These can be used to renew the
plant. Trees will also try to grow, then die, but there
may be no regrowth.
If the winter-injured plant is a named cultivar, it may
have been budded or grafted onto a less desirable
rootstock. New shoots on these plants may be coming from
the rootstock. This is especially common on roses. A
plant renewed from such shoots is often inferior to the
cultivar, so it is best to replace it.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base ZZ on 01/19/00.
Data base ZZ was last revised on 11/12/99.
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
heatley@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
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