Do rhododendron plants lose their leaves in fall, or is my bush dying?

Steve
by Steve
Bush was healthy and now all the leaves are starting to turn brown, Sprayed with fungicide, and put mulch around base of plant to winterize.

  6 answers
  • Marylu Marylu on Sep 25, 2017

    what zone are you in? Already getting cold? There are deciduous rhododendrons and evergreen (that lose a few leaves a year and they usually turn yellow and then fall off.)

  • Ann Cherkas Halstead Ann Cherkas Halstead on Sep 25, 2017

    i lost mine also. Maybe me wat about 13 feet high. They are suppose to stay green all year.

  • Ann Ann on Sep 25, 2017

    Rhodies are evergreen. They will curl up in the cold weather and some tips of the leaves may turn brown, but they should have buds. I thnk you may be over-watering or smothering it with too much mulch, or mulching too close to the base.

  • Lisa S. Lisa S. on Sep 25, 2017

    They may loose a few leaves, but not many. Something you have done is killing it. Did you spray it as it had a problem? Is that problems solved? Is the mulch too far up around the trunk? Is it getting too much or too little water? No the right time of year to fertilize.

  • Rhonda S Rhonda S on Sep 25, 2017

    Some will shed the same way a pine tree will shed some needles, but they don't usually go bare. If you live in the US, there is a wonderful resource available in your county extension office. The locals might call it the Ag extension, depending where you live. State universities or state colleges with horticulture departments are charged to keep information readily available to citizens in each county, and areas with agriculture especially have personal agents who can answer all sorts of questions and provide information on plant care, pest control, and native plants specific to your location. Here is a link to help you locate yours: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app

  • Steve Steve on Sep 25, 2017

    zone 7

    attached photo