Damage to 20 year old Viburnum

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johns50 Princeton, NJ Apr 23, 2023

Help ---assume I should prune off these limbs. First year of damage like this

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kolomikta Somerville, MA Apr 28, 2023

Can't tell anything from these photos

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ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Apr 30, 2023

Yes - if other branches are leafing out or fully in leaf, and these illustrated stems/branches show no growth, then cut them off. I agree that it is always helpful to show the WHOLE plant first, and then progressively detailed images of where your question lies. Ample description of the plant's environment and/or landscape history help fill in blanks in knowledge for the observers here.

I will say that this is normal behavior for 20 year old shrubs of all persuasions, not just Viburnum species. I recognize this from many different species of Viburnum here at the Valley, including V. dentatum, V. dilatatum, V. nudum, V. plicatum f. tomentosum, and others.

Numerous deciduous shrub species have many dormant buds at their base/crown specifically to sprout and replace existing older stems - whether the old branches get damaged by environmental causes or expire because of advanced age. In landscape management practice, many horticulturists will perform rejuvenation pruning on such species of shrubs so that there are continually a good contingent of younger vigorous stems instead of a greater number of older senescing branches.

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johns50 Princeton, NJ May 04, 2023

Other branches appear healthy and are leafing out. Thank you so much for your response. We have had an "extreme" year of weather here in my part of 6b--including brutal heat all last summer. Ill look into rejuvenation pruning.

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ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) May 12, 2023

Concomitant with rejuvenation pruning should be additional watering and fertilization, to assist the healthy vigorous growth of new stems.

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