Maintaining vibrant, healthy landscapes in Pennsylvania isn’t always easy, especially after seasons of extreme weather. If you’re noticing brown, brittle leaves or entire shrubs declining, you’re not alone. Boxwoods, Pachysandra, and Cherry Laurels have faced a perfect storm of stress this past year due to drought and winter cold effects throughout the area.
Throughout this blog, we break down what’s happening, why it matters, and how proactive tree and shrub care can make all the difference. At Keystone Tree Experts, our licensed specialists have seen a dramatic uptick in winter damage and drought stress affecting these popular evergreen staples – and we are here to help.
Contact Keystone Tree Experts today and have our certified arborists in Doylestown, Solebury, Newtown, Upper Bucks and Lansdale help maintain the health of your trees and shrubs.
What’s Causing Boxwoods to Brown and Drop Leaves This Spring
Boxwoods are a staple in northeastern landscapes, but this spring, many homeowners are noticing significant browning, leaf drop, or dieback. These symptoms are strongly linked to winter desiccation injury.
When the ground freezes during dry winters, roots can’t take up moisture. Meanwhile, Boxwood leaves continue to transpire, causing them to dry out and brown, especially on sides facing harsh winter winds or afternoon sun. According to the Ohio State University Extension, this type of damage is common after unusually cold or windy winters.
Complicating the issue, stressed Boxwoods are more prone to Volutella blight, a fungal disease that thrives in weakened plants. While new spring growth may hide the damage, professional intervention, like corrective pruning or soil amendment, may be needed to prevent long-term decline.
Why Pachysandra Is Struggling More Than Usual After Recent Droughts
Once considered a low-maintenance, set-it-and-forget-it groundcover, Pachysandra is now showing widespread signs of stress. Across Pennsylvania and New York, even long-established plantings are turning yellow or dying off in large patches.
The culprit? Prolonged drought conditions. According to Penn State Extension, these ground-hugging plants have shallow root systems that dry out quickly in water-deficient soils. Weakened roots make Pachysandra highly susceptible to diseases such as Volutella stem blight and leaf blight that cause rapid wilting and dieback.
Without consistent moisture and healthy soil structure, full recovery can take multiple seasons or may never occur. What used to be a resilient landscape solution now demands closer care and, in some cases, partial replanting.
How Winter Weather Is Taking a Toll on Cherry Laurel Shrubs
Cherry Laurels, popular for their glossy foliage and natural screening abilities, are showing signs of deep winter fatigue. This broadleaf evergreen is vulnerable to a phenomenon called transpirational water loss, where moisture escapes through leaves during cold snaps when roots can’t replenish it.
Many homeowners across Pennsylvania and Ohio are noticing:
- Brown, scorched leaves
- Damaged buds or stems
- Complete dieback on newer transplants
These effects are often intensified by wind exposure and sunny days following snowfall, where sun reflects off snow and intensifies moisture loss, known as sunscald. Regional experts recommend windbreaks, shading methods, and mulching to regulate soil temperatures and protect root zones.
Even mature shrubs may need aggressive pruning or long-term recovery care to bounce back. Keystone Arborists warn that once winter damage sets in, secondary pathogens like Phytophthora root rot may follow.
The Compounding Impact of Drought and Cold on Landscape Plants
It’s not just one bad season, it’s the stacking of stress that creates lasting damage. When a dry summer is followed by a harsh winter, plants like Boxwoods, Pachysandra, and cherry laurels are left weakened and vulnerable. The Penn State Extension and other state services consistently report that this one-two punch can lead to:
- Root rot from fungal infections like Armillaria
- Insect infestations in dying wood
- Long-term canopy thinning and uneven regrowth
These impacts don’t always show immediately, which is why many landscapes look healthy in early spring, only to collapse midsummer under the weight of compounded stress.
How Certified Arborists Can Help Restore Boxwoods, Pachysandra, and Cherry Laurels
At Keystone Tree Experts, we take a detailed and personalized approach to restoring stressed and damaged plantings. Our ISA Certified Arborists bring deep local expertise and proactive care strategies designed to strengthen your landscape’s resilience across all seasons.
Our services include:
- Seasonal Plant Health Care Programs: We monitor your landscape throughout the growing season to detect early signs of stress, pest activity, or nutrient deficiencies, implementing custom treatment plans for lasting health.
- Insect and Disease Management: Using integrated pest management techniques and timely applications, we suppress damaging insects and fungal threats like Volutella blight, Phytophthora, and Scale infestations before they cause irreversible damage.
- Professional Soil Testing and Diagnosis: We conduct lab-tested soil analyses to identify pH imbalances or nutrient deficiencies, forming the basis of your custom fertilization strategy.
- Targeted Fertilization Treatments: Our local arborists apply slow-release, deep-root fertilization to boost plant vigor and root resilience after seasons of drought or winter stress.
- Corrective and Structural Pruning for Shrubs: Our experts use pruning techniques to remove dead, diseased, or structurally weak growth while shaping plants for optimal airflow, light penetration, and aesthetic appeal.
- Microclimate-Based Landscape Solutions: Our team of certified arborists in Doylestown assesses environmental stressors like wind exposure, drainage issues, and sun reflection to create specific planting and protection recommendations.
- Landscape Consultations for Long-Term Recovery: Licensed technicians advise homeowners, property managers, and HOAs on planting decisions, replacement strategies, and long-term maintenance plans tailored to local climate challenges.
From stressed Boxwoods and thinning Pachysandra to frost-damaged Cherry Laurels, we’ve restored thousands of shrubs and small trees throughout Bucks County and nearby areas like Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery Counties.
Don’t Wait for Your Landscape to Decline, Call Our Certified Arborists in Doylestown, Solebury, Newtown, Upper Bucks & Landsdale
Drought and winter-related plant damage are becoming more frequent and more severe, but they don’t have to be permanent. With professional tree care services, your Boxwoods, Pachysandra, and Cherry Laurels can thrive once again.
Keystone Tree Experts has been serving southeastern Pennsylvania since 1968, delivering over 57 years of trusted, science-based tree and shrub care. Founded on values of fairness, honesty, and deep horticultural expertise, our team includes ISA Certified Arborists committed to restoring and protecting the health of your landscape.
Contact Keystone Tree Experts today for your free estimate and give your landscape the long-term care it deserves.
