Growing conditions

Winter burn of evergreens

Evergreens keep losing water through their needles in winter while the ground is frozen and roots cannot replace it. Sun and wind dry the exposed side, and the damage shows as browning in late winter and spring.

Signs

Needles or leaves brown on the side facing the sun or the prevailing winter wind.
Damage above the snow line; the part buried in snow stays green.
Buds often survive; wait for new growth before pruning.

What favors it

Dry fall soil, frozen ground under sunny, windy winter days, exposed sites, and new plantings.

Prevention

Water evergreens deeply in fall until the ground freezes.
Mulch 2-4 inches over the root zone.
Set up a burlap screen on the windward or sunny side of young or exposed plants; do not wrap them tight.

Crops it shows up on

Evergreens & conifers (pine, spruce, juniper); Roses & ornamentals.

Often confused with

Growing conditionsRoad salt injury DiseaseNeedle cast and tip blight Growing conditionsDrought stress (underwatering)

Sources

Winter Burn on EvergreensUniversity of New Hampshire Extension
Keep Watering in Fall to Protect Evergreens from Winter BurnUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Extension
Protecting Trees and Shrubs in WinterIowa State University Extension

Why →

Treatment by crop

Cultural, biological and chemical options in the order to use them, and notes written for each crop.

Identification is free. Treatment is on the Home and Pro plans.

Open in the key See plans

Look the plant over, leaf undersides included. Are insects, mites, slugs, eggs, webbing or droppings on it?
No, only damage or discoloration
Where is the problem?
A tree or shrub
Which part of the tree or shrub shows the problem?
Needles of a pine, spruce, fir, juniper or arborvitae
What is happening to the needles?
Browning on one side of the tree, in late winter or spring
Which side is brown?
The side facing the sun or the winter wind

Not a match? Start the key or describe what you see.

More from university Extension: search Extension pages on winter burn of evergreens, or find a plant diagnostic lab through your state's Extension.

Winter burn of evergreens

Signs

What favors it

Prevention

Crops it shows up on

Often confused with

Sources

Questions in the key that lead here

Other growing conditions