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Arborvitae Problems #931633

Asked May 14, 2026, 6:13 AM EDT

Three of our small arborvitae have rust colored sections on each shrub. The plants are in a large garden maybe 15-20 feet from a busy road. Can these shrubs be saved? How?

Genesee County Michigan

Expert Response

Thank you for contacting Ask Extension. This looks like winter burn. This past winter, we had high cold winds for a long time and arborvitae do not take well with cold and high winds. You can prune the areas out, because they will not turn green again. You can prevent this in the future, by wrapping with burlap and making sure to water them deeply before a hard cold sets in. This will help with the desiccation of the leaves on the arborvitae. 

I am including a few publications for your reference:

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/winter-burn/

https://extension.psu.edu/preventing-winter-burn-on-evergreen-landscape-plants

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/smart_winter_protection_for_trees_and_shrubs

Thank you for contacting us! Replied May 14, 2026, 8:06 PM EDT

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