Identifying Freeze Damage on Landscape Plants

Cold injury often doesn't appear for days or weeks after a freeze. Diagnosis requires memory (when did the freeze occur?) and detective work (what symptoms match?).

Key Indicators

• Branch tips fail to leaf out while lower parts of the plant do.
• Unusual patterns of dead cells on leaves.

Photo Gallery: Common Freeze Damage Symptoms

Freeze damage to hydrangea

Cold damage to tomato leaves

Flower bud death on azalea

Cold damage to creeping fig

Ice on camellia bud

Freeze damage to crapemyrtle

Freeze damage to hydrangea flower

Use these visual references to diagnose cold injury on your own plants after a freeze event.