Have I Killed It?

[driverdale1]

A question for all u gardeners out there, i have this lovely bush that sits in the driveway. ive no idea what its called, beautiful red leaves each year but alas i opened the car door one night and broke a few of the thin branches, now im not getting any leaves on it...have i killed it? or is it because weve had so much cold weather its taking longer for it?..any advice?

[murraymints]

Everything is about a month behind because of weather...wait...ought to be fine...

[Frank97]

Probably just the cold spring, my Forest Pansy has no sign of leaf yet, but I'm sure It's alive.

[Frank97]

it's don't know where that capital I came from.

[VHG]

Most bushes can be "cut back" and they always recover, so cutting (or braking off) a few braches wont kill it.

It will bounce back.

[Maydup]

Its probably just late waking up driverdale, but it would be good to know more about it. How tall, any flower or blossom and if so what colour? Is it a tree shape or stocky bush shaped or does it climb?

[driverdale1]

its around 5ft been there since wee moved in 4 years ago, beautiful red leaves..no flowers...probably i would call it stocky..tho its not all that "fat"..not a climber and its in a small rockery

[murraymints]

Berberis..?

[Maydup]

Yes sounds possible Murraymints. Its not a climber so not any of the vines; it has no flower or blossom so not an acer etc, you are most likely to be right with Berberis but no berries mentioned.

There has been a problem with berberis driverdale. They can be attacted by flies and their caterpillars. If they were a problem they may have stripped the foliage in the autumn and it will struggle to recover. See here

http://www.gardenersworld.com/blogs/unassigned/the-trouble-with-berberis/2556.html