i cant tell if those are flowers.. or glare from the sun ... and where are you ... i am sure others will recognize them right off ...

but let me ask you this ... if they are struggling.. a problem .. why in the world would you go buy the same plant ...???? ... you are allowed to change

ken

Ken,

You make a good point and I have been looking into suitable replacements.

If someone is able to identify the shrub, I can further investigate what is going on with the health of the plants.

I would purchase the same shrubs if I can keep them healthy.

I live in NJ.

It's a dwarf laurel, Prunus laurocerasus. It could be something like 'Mt Vernon' or a very heavily pruned 'Otto Lyuken'. By and large, evergreen cherry laurels are pretty tough plants. They can get some fungal or bacterial leaf issues now and again but rarely to the point where it does the plant harm. They look more dried out than anything else.

If you wanted to replace them with the same or similar, I see no reason not to. But I would encourage you to allow then to grow in a more natural shape than pruning them in to flat topped "tables". And unless you like the heavily pruned look, you might want to look at what other shrubs may work for this area that won't exceed the height you wish or block the windows. In time and unpruned, 'Otto Luyken' can grow taller than the 3' usually listed

I would agree about P. 'Otto Luyken'. A few issues with them are white scale and shothole fungus.

Can you get a closeup of the browned out leaves and stem? If there is scale there, I would probably not replant with new ones as the scale can move from one plant to the next. Plants in full sun and heat tend to be more vulnerable to scale.

Might be helpful to know where you live.

Per your request, see the photo's below.

I found a plastic tag on one of the plants: 24-30" prunus laurocerasus 'otto luyken'

I live in NJ.

it appears to have a girdled trunk to me. maybe some twine or wire was not removed at planting.

Yeah, looks like something is/was constricting growth of the trunk at ground level or perhaps voles girdled the trunk at ground level? Hard to tell for sure, but at least I don't see any white scale. Could also be they were not watered well enough during dry periods. Is there that same damage on the trunks of the other plants?

Do these get winter sun?

Depending on where in NJ, it could be just be winter cold.

Definitely 'Otto Luyken' - growth, leaf and flowering habits all typical of this distinctive selection.

I removed the plants and found rope around the base and roots.