Your plant is VERY stressed, iechris and I am not sure what will happen. How much water have you been giving the plant? How did the leaves brown out? Leaves that brown out from the edges suggest a lack of moisture. Having been planted last November, she is not considered established so weather and moisture issues could have caused the problem but Debutante should be able to thrive in your zone's winters.

I suggest no fertilizing of any type now because that is the last thing one should give to a plant that is stressed out.

Is there a possibility that the plant could be root bound? Do you remember if the roots were growing in circles around the edge of the pot when you planted it last November? The only to tell to tell for sure would be to pull the plant out and inspect the roots, a risky procedure considering how stressed the plant is.

The other possibility is root rot. This is hard to identify without pulling the plant out and inspecting the roots to see if they are ok (white-ish looking). Again, this is also risky so I will let you decide if you want to check for these two possible causes.

If you decide to pull the plant out and check the roots, also check if the rootball is dry. Sometimes, the rootball can get dried out to the point where it will not absorb water unless you leave the hose on -watering slowly- for a long time. If you notice that the rootball soil is dry but it is wet/moist only near the top then dump the plant in a container full of water for about 20 minutes and then replant it.

Less troublesome... can you check for bark split along the main trunk? can you also check the soil moisture manually? To check manually, select a spot between the main trunk and the drip line, temporarily remove the mulch and insert one finger to a depth of 4". How does it feel? If it feels dry or almost dry then the soil needs water (1 gallon for a small new plant). If it feels moist then it is ok and should not be watered. If it feel wet, the soil has too much water; the soil is not draining well so take appropriate action to correct this.

Watering hints: When watering, do not water the leaves. Instead, water the soil. On a new plant whose roots have not grown much, water around the root ball area. The best time to water is early in the morning. Also, remember to water during the winter months too if the winter is dry and the soil does not freeze; maybe 1 gallon of water every week or every two weeks.

I hope that helps you, iechris.
Luis