Why do the leaves on rhododendrons curl up?
Q. The leaves on my rhododendrons, aucuba and other evergreen shrubs curl up in this frigid cold weather. What’s happening to them? e-mail A. It’s natural for leaves on some evergreen shrubs to curl up, almost roll into a elgonated ball shape, during severe cold weather. It’s a natural protection system within the plant, one to be admired and respected. The plant will be fine and its leaves will resume their normal shape once temperatures rise. This condition also points out the importance of watering your evergreens on warm winter days when there has been a lack of rainfall. Cold winds dessicate the foliage on evergreens, drying them out. That drying out harms them more than the actual cold temperatures. Be kind to your hollies, aucuba, cypresses and such; give them long, slow drinks of water when the weather is in the 40s or 50s and there has been no rainfall for several weeks.
