Boxwood Help! Leaves brown/red/yellow

[Jiipsea]

Hello!

My boxwood up until this point was thriving. All of a sudden his leaves started to turn brown/reddish. I noticed today some tips are a little yellow. I moved him out of direct sunlight because it seemed it was a light issue but I was just guessing. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you!

 

[Forsoothe!]

How about a little history??

 

[Jiipsea]

I use a chopstick to determine moisture, so far summer has been requiring water once or twice daily. Full sun except for the last few days I have done morning and early afternoon sun and then evening shade. I made this change because of the leaf condition.

 

[Jiipsea]

How about a little history??

I use a chopstick to determine moisture, so far summer has been requiring water once or twice daily. Full sun except for the last few days I have done morning and early afternoon sun and then evening shade. I made this change because of the leaf condition.

 

[sorce]

The worst part to that is reddish seems only on that extremity yes?

The noticeable yellow sideways leaf in the middle of the full tree pic is just an old leaf, certainly due to fall off. There are probably others in that stage.

I've noted yellow tips to be specifically caused by too much work, as in transpiration.

Water Sun Shade Wind Soil...
These all make up the balance which leads to too much transpiration.

More Shade can work, but without less water excess transpiration continues.

If the Soil gives up water appropriately, more sun can fix it, but not of in a windy place.

It's rarely one thing.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Nice bloody tree BTW!

too..

You see how that outer branch is unnatural?

It didn't grow like that itself, something broke in there somewhere at some point, causing it to grow out that way.
My Observed theory of Boxwood is simply they do not want to grow like that, so it can be simply abandoning it, in favor of a more efficient shape for itself.

Sorce

 

[Forsoothe!]

For instance: The moss on the nebari doesn't match the potting mix, so it has been repotted at some time. When? This tree is between 10 and 15 years old. How long have you had it? Texas sun and Wisconsin sun are two different animals. Eastern slope Colorado and western slope Oregon humidity levels are two different animals. Where are you? Nothing is forever, the eldest, interior leaves perish at some point, so ignore them. You should be removing leaves on the interior for design purposes, anyway. The branch on the right side that has discolored leaves seems out of place. Has it been damaged by a rampaging animal? Check it for cracks.

 

[Jiipsea]

Nice bloody tree BTW!

too..

You see how that outer branch is unnatural?

It didn't grow like that itself, something broke in there somewhere at some point, causing it to grow out that way.
My Observed theory of Boxwood is simply they do not want to grow like that, so it can be simply abandoning it, in favor of a more efficient shape for itself.

Sorce

I really appreciate the insight. I bought this tree a few months ago so I am unsure if there was damage to the tree prior to my care. I did buy it with a gap in the branches as shown in the photos. So, my understanding of your first comment would be to alter shade/water/wind exposure as a unit opposed to changing just one thing? So maybe more shade and less water? I apologize if I don't understand correctly. I really appreciate your time! Thank you!

 

[Jiipsea]

For instance: The moss on the nebari doesn't match the potting mix, so it has been repotted at some time. When? This tree is between 10 and 15 years old. How long have you had it? Texas sun and Wisconsin sun are two different animals. Eastern slope Colorado and western slope Oregon humidity levels are two different animals. Where are you? Nothing is forever, the eldest, interior leaves perish at some point, so ignore them. You should be removing leaves on the interior for design purposes, anyway. The branch on the right side that has discolored leaves seems out of place. Has it been damaged by a rampaging animal? Check it for cracks.

Thank you for your response. I did notice the moss seeming slightly out of place with the rest of the environment. I have had the tree for about 3 months, so not very long in the big picture. I got it very healthy and up until about a week ago, it was very healthy, in appearance at least. The leaves started to shift in color during the hotter days we have had here in Northwest Indiana (Chicagoland area). We have been very humid. For a week we were extremely hot, 90+ degrees. Now we are mid 80's. I have not noticed any cracks in the odd branch, it was that way when I bought it, kind of a bald spot in the tree if you will. I don't know if this helps paint a little clearer picture of the background.

 

[Jiipsea]

Thank you!! I really appreciate the insight. I bought this tree a few months ago so I am unsure if there was damage to the tree prior to my care. I did buy it with a gap in the branches as shown in the photos, the little bald spot if you will. So, my understanding of your first comment would be to alter shade/water/wind exposure as a unit opposed to changing just one thing? So maybe more shade and less water? I apologize if I don't understand correctly. I really appreciate your time! Thank you! If the tree is accommodating its shape and abandoning that branch, it will die regardless of what I do? Will it produce other branches to fill in that spot or will I have to get creative to cover that odd space that would be missing?

 

[Forsoothe!]

I think Boxwood grows best in cooler situations. It will grow in full sun, but growing in the ground is less stressful than growing in a pot. The ground rarely gets over the high 70's°F and almost never gets bone dry while a dark colored pot on a bench can be at least ambient all day and 10 or 20° hotter in a worst-case exposure. High draining bonsai mixes intentionally hold less moisture than organic mixes and needs to be compensated for by positioning in cooler situations, as in less and/or cooler direct sun. Morning sun is cooler than southern or afternoon exposures of the same duration. Western is hotter than southern, but southern is longer and so is usually equivalent to western. Noon or mid-day sun is the most intense.

If you have a morning sun position with sun from as early as possible ending at noon, watering once a day should be fine. If you can't re-position that errant branch with wire, find rock with a "V" that's heavy enough to not move and push that branch into a better position. Boxwood take forever to re-set branches, so expect that the rock will be needed for at least a couple years. Give the funny branch the best light in hopes of growing better.

There is a terminal fungus that attacks Boxwood which I think is on the loose in Chicagoland. Others will confirm or correct me. It is bad news and at its worst in high heat and humidity. If this is the culprit, buy a different species as replacement.

 

[sorce]

I am unsure if there was damage to the tree prior to my car

That is part of the excersize, don't be unsure!
Study the old growth, look for clues as to what may have happened.
Was it pruned out?
Bent?
Damage?

The more you know about how a tree got to where it is, the better you can put them there yourself. That is all you need to design trees, insight. This insight can be had from ANY tree at all! It all helps. We must study intently the past.

I don't expect you to understand everything, some of it will come to you as you study, change soils, kill trees.
What matters is that it is permanently here in your thread to ponder.

You will have aha moments, and feel great when you do figure it all out!

Welcome to Crazy?

Sorce

 

[Jiipsea]

That is part of the excersize, don't be unsure!
Study the old growth, look for clues as to what may have happened.
Was it pruned out?
Bent?
Damage?

The more you know about how a tree got to where it is, the better you can put them there yourself. That is all you need to design trees, insight. This insight can be had from ANY tree at all! It all helps. We must study intently the past.

I don't expect you to understand everything, some of it will come to you as you study, change soils, kill trees.
What matters is that it is permanently here in your thread to ponder.

You will have aha moments, and feel great when you do figure it all out!

Welcome to Crazy?

Sorce

I am enjoying crazy! Life is crazy, this piece that I enjoy so much is no different and brings so much joy. I appreciate your insight. I am new to this and am hoping to take pieces from anyone who will offer them. It all adds to the puzzle and is all appreciated.