Mock Orange After Freeze: Wait and Prune Dead Wood

Bark Splitting Causes Delayed Dieback

Severe cold can split bark on mock orange and other shrubs (indica azalea, pittosporum, fatsia). Damage often appears weeks later as dead branches when fungi invade the cracks during spring warm-up.

Action Plan

• Wait for spring growth to reveal live vs. dead wood.
• Prune out dead branches back to healthy tissue.
• No preventive treatment exists—just patience and cleanup.