Expert: nick mccann - 2/24/2011

Question
Hi, I have 2 sky pencil holleys in large containers, I live in zone 6, and the holleys got bent from the heavy snow, but did not break,  I carefully straightened them but noticed that the leaves are all dry and will fall off if you rub the plant. They do have black berrys on them, which I read grow on them from late fall to mid winter, any idea if these plants are dying and is there anything I can do. Thank You for any help Doug

Answer
Hi Doug, hard to tell without seeing the plant, but most will show cold stress from the ground level up,,and have perfectly fine root systems; wait and watch, and if you see an area on the main stem that seems to be staying viable, then prune it back from that point up and then new growth should emerge from the healthy area. Scratch the trunk near ground level, if it shows a green cambium layer, then it should be fine. Nick