Boxwood Leaves Turning Yellow – Causes and Solutions

The various species of boxwood are all common in North America and have roughly the same appearance. They have solid and branching stems that grow from base to top of the tree. All parts of this native tree are woody. The bark is brown and rough but not unpleasant to the touch. The leaves are alternate on the stem, oval or egg-shaped with serrated edges, and covered with fine hairs called ciliate down the edges. The flowers are small, greenish-white flowers that appear in terminal clusters at the end of branches. It usually grows in moist soil such as pebbles or clay. Here are some of the reasons why Boxwoods may turn yellow.

• Root Rot

  This is a very common cause of yellowing leaves. It is caused by excess soil moisture, characterized by a black rot that spreads from the roots and eventually kills the tree. The tree can’t absorb soil nutrients because of the rot, and the tree dies. Like all plants, boxwoods are very sensitive to excess amounts of water. The roots can be damaged when exposed to too much water, and the tree cannot absorb nutrients from the soil. The best way to solve this problem is to add a layer of sand or peat moss to the ground. This will prevent excess moisture and allow the tree to grow healthy.

• Nematodes

  Nematodes are tiny worms that can spread disease in the soil. They feed on roots, and when they enter the soil, they damage the roots of a tree. The damage is not visible, but it causes the tree to have a yellowing or dead look on the leaves. Nematodes are sometimes found in the soil but can also come from infected trees. Also, the tree loses its immunity to diseases and may die. To solve this problem, you need to get rid of any nematodes in your soil and replace them with good-quality compost or organic matter. You can also choose to use organic pesticides but be careful because some pesticides contain chemicals that may kill your plants.

• Winter Damage

  During the cold winter months, temperatures can get below freezing and cause damage to the roots of the boxwood. The damaged roots may also affect the leaves as they can turn yellow. Winter burn and excessive cold can also cause the boxwood to die. It takes a while to notice the yellowing because it is only visible on the leaves. To prevent this problem, you should protect your tree from the cold with a thick layer of mulch to keep it warm. Make sure that you do not let any water freeze in the soil. If it does freeze, make sure to thaw it out before you water again.

• Aging Process

  Boxwoods are very popular because they look great and are easy to grow. But after a while, they may not look as good as they used to. This is due to the aging process in the trees. The boxwood leaves begin turning yellow, then brown, and fall off after a few years. The older leaves are usually the most yellow and brown. For the boxwood’s slow growth rate, this change might be unnoticeable for a while. You can control this aging process by pruning back the boxwood every year until it reaches the desired height and then pruning it down again. This will help you maintain the boxwood for many years.

• Drought Stress

  Drought stress is a problem that sometimes occurs when the soils are dry. It happens because the boxwood roots cannot absorb enough water to keep their leaves green. When this happens, your tree’s leaves look pale or sickly and may even drop off. To avoid this problem, try adding some compost to the soil, and make sure that you water regularly. Boxwoods are beautiful trees, but they are not easy to grow. They need lots of sunlight and good soil to thrive. Boxwood plants require proper and adequate care to produce beautiful and healthy trees.

• Insect Problems

  Insects can be a problem for boxwood plants. Boxwood plants are very susceptible to insects such as aphids, thrips, and mites. Aphids are small insects, Thrips are small flies, and Mites are tiny insects that all suck on the boxwood leaves. Taking action against these pests is essential because they can cause your plant to die without you knowing it. These insects feed on boxwood leaves, making them look weak and possibly dying. Severe infestation of these insects can cause stunted growth in your boxwood. To prevent this problem, you can use insecticides specific to these pests. You can also use beneficial insects to help control these pests.

• Salt Damage

  Salt can be a problem for your boxwood if you live in a coastal area. Salt water is usually very salty. It can damage the roots of the boxwood and make them die. Salt used to de-ice the sidewalk or walkway might also be a problem. To prevent this from happening, make sure to use gravel in the soil around your boxwood so that it does not get too much salt. If you live near a coastal area, this is probably a good idea anyway because it can help keep your plants healthy and make them grow bigger.

• Volutella Stem Canker

  Volutella Stem Canker is a disease that usually affects boxwood plants. It is caused by the fungus Pseudonectria buxi. This disease can kill your boxwood plant and make it die. It can also cause other problems, such as weakening the leaves and stems of your boxwood plant and making them brittle and weak. To prevent this problem, you can use fungicides to help control the fungus Volutella on your boxwood plants.

Boxwood Evergreens are beautiful trees. They can be used for informal and more formal hedges, but they can also create an attractive avenue. If you want to grow boxwood evergreen trees, you should know how to keep your boxwood from turning yellow. You should also know how to control pests and prevent them from affecting your boxwoods. It is best to avoid the leaves from turning yellow and keep your boxwood healthy. Here, we will look at how to prevent Boxwood Evergreens from turning yellow.

• Mulching

  Mulching keeps the soil cool and moist and is a great way to prevent your boxwood evergreens from turning yellow. Mulch will help slow down the rate of water evaporation from the soil and also help keep your boxwoods healthy. Many people like to use pine bark mulch for this purpose. Pine bark mulch is a good material because it naturally stops water evaporation from the soil.

• Regular Watering

  It would be best if you carefully water your boxwood evergreen trees. If you do not water your boxwoods regularly, you will notice that they turn yellow. You should also ensure you do not overwater them because this can cause root rot in the soil and lead to yellow leaves on the tree. Regular watering keeps the soil from getting too dry, preventing root rot. Mainly, it would help if you watered your boxwoods when the soil was drier than usual.

• Pruning

  Boxwood plants must be pruned regularly to keep them in shape and healthy. It would be best if you pruned them about every year or two, depending on how fast they grow and what size you want them to be at their peak growing season. This will help maintain the health of your boxwood plants and ensure that they don’t get too large for their height. In addition, regular pruning also prevents the boxwood plants from growing too much in one season and thus can help prevent them from turning yellow.

• Pest Control

  Boxwood evergreen trees are susceptible to pests such as boxwood scale, boxwood sawfly, boxwood moth, and boxwood weevil. You can prevent these pests from affecting your boxwoods by planting different plants around your boxwoods. This will help keep the problems away from your trees. Moreover, pest control is also essential to prevent the spread of diseases and other pests.

• Disease Control

  Many diseases can affect your boxwoods and lead to yellow leaves on your boxwood evergreens. You can prevent diseases from affecting your boxwoods by planting various plants around them. This will help keep the conditions away from your trees and will also prevent the spread of diseases to other plants that you may have in the garden.

Conclusion

Boxwoods have a long life span, and you can have them to enjoy for many years. They are also beautiful in full bloom and make a great addition to any garden. But it would help if you were diligent about watering your boxwoods and pruning them regularly. These two things will ensure that your boxwood evergreens stay healthy and provide you with great enjoyment for many years to come. Boxwoods are popular decorative plants and are very easy to care for.