Hi @karlgardener0405
Looking at the images of your Viburnum leaf damage, you're correct. It looks like frost or wind burn damage. Given these conditions sometimes look the same, it's hard to say which one. Only you will know whether they're in a frost pocket or have been battered by the wind.
Viburnum davidii are usually a super tough shrub. So I'd remove the leaves back to the next stem and also pot this plant on. It looks like it's in a 2-litre pot and will need a bigger space and some plant feed, given its weakened condition. It will survive and come back though!
What's the difference between frost and wind burn?
Frost damage and wind burn can often look very similar in plants. Brown, yellow or patchy dead parts of the leaf are all symptoms. Frost damage is where sub-zero temperatures kill off parts of the leaf meaning they won't recover. Leaf burn is when cold air strips leaves of moisture and can effectively dehydrate them turning them brown.
What is leaf burn?
Leaf burn results in damage or even tearing of the delicate leaf tissue. This damage is made worse by the presence of dust or sand particles in the wind, which can act like sandpaper and further abrade the leaf surface. Likewise, freezing winds literally freeze the leaf and strip it of moisture.
In addition to physical damage, wind can also cause desiccation, or drying out, of the leaves. This is because the wind can cause rapid evaporation of moisture from the leaf surface, especially in hot and dry conditions. This can lead to a loss of turgor or pressure within the leaf cells. The leaves then wilt, turn brown, and eventually die.
Wind also increases transpiration rates in plants, which is the process of allowing moisture to leave the leaf, and so increased transpiration causes leaves to dry out. When the wind blows across the leaves, it can increase the transpiration rate by carrying away the water vapour more quickly. This can be particularly damaging if the plant is already experiencing water stress or drought conditions.
How to fix leaf burn?
The best fix is to prune out the damaged leaves. They will never recover. Feed a good liquid plant feed like comfrey tea, add a top dress of mulch as well. Keep well watered and consider moving the plant to a more sheltered position. Especially if the plant is in a pot, mulching is always a good way to ensure shrubs each year get slow-release food and can help them to thrive.
https://youtu.be/ptBotSa2wpw
Hope that helps Karl!
Lee
Hi @karlgardener0405
Looking at the images of your Viburnum leaf damage, you're correct. It looks like frost or wind burn damage. Given these conditions sometimes look the same, it's hard to say which one. Only you will know whether they're in a frost pocket or have been battered by the wind.
Viburnum davidii are usually a super tough shrub. So I'd remove the leaves back to the next stem and also pot this plant on. It looks like it's in a 2-litre pot and will need a bigger space and some plant feed, given its weakened condition. It will survive and come back though!
What's the difference between frost and wind burn?
Frost damage and wind burn can often look very similar in plants. Brown, yellow or patchy dead parts of the leaf are all symptoms. Frost damage is where sub-zero temperatures kill off parts of the leaf meaning they won't recover. Leaf burn is when cold air strips leaves of moisture and can effectively dehydrate them turning them brown.
What is leaf burn?
Leaf burn results in damage or even tearing of the delicate leaf tissue. This damage is made worse by the presence of dust or sand particles in the wind, which can act like sandpaper and further abrade the leaf surface. Likewise, freezing winds literally freeze the leaf and strip it of moisture.
In addition to physical damage, wind can also cause desiccation, or drying out, of the leaves. This is because the wind can cause rapid evaporation of moisture from the leaf surface, especially in hot and dry conditions. This can lead to a loss of turgor or pressure within the leaf cells. The leaves then wilt, turn brown, and eventually die.
Wind also increases transpiration rates in plants, which is the process of allowing moisture to leave the leaf, and so increased transpiration causes leaves to dry out. When the wind blows across the leaves, it can increase the transpiration rate by carrying away the water vapour more quickly. This can be particularly damaging if the plant is already experiencing water stress or drought conditions.
How to fix leaf burn?
The best fix is to prune out the damaged leaves. They will never recover. Feed a good liquid plant feed like comfrey tea, add a top dress of mulch as well. Keep well watered and consider moving the plant to a more sheltered position. Especially if the plant is in a pot, mulching is always a good way to ensure shrubs each year get slow-release food and can help them to thrive.
Hope that helps Karl!
Lee
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