Quick update..............

I just turned over the pot to empty it out and check on the roots. They look very healthy and robust. In doing so it broke off a majority of the stems, which is ok since I they were about to wither and die anyway. I washed away a lot of the old dirt, and replaced it with new dirt and watered it like crazy. One problem may have been that it had become buried too deep. I found two new pips underneath the soil that were completely buried. So the plant may have been smothering. I think it is going to be ok, as the roots look spectacular, and the new pips that were buiried look good as well. Right now it looks as if I ran it over with a lawn mower, but in the end should be fine.

It would be nice to know how it does. Could it be some kind of chemical damage like pesticide? Probably not because its been in the house.

Beverly,

The only thing I could think it could be was an early frost I didnt realize whet it first leafed out, but it certainly showed up late if that's the case. I honestly think the plant could have been buried too deep. The two new pips I found were totally submerged, but last year it did fine at that depth. Whatver it is I will give updates, and I may move it to a bigger pot tomorrow as well.

It looks like freeze damage to me, too.

bkay

Me too....(to coin a phrase) (haha) freeze damage.

-Babka

Yes, looks just like frost damage to me.

My Empress Wu got hit as it was leafing out last year.

It will be fine, just unsightly.

Dave

cold damage ... you should have left the ugly leaves on the plant.. because they could still have done some work ... once a new set of leaves came out. was when you could have removed the damaged ones ...

you hot zone peeps need to understand there is a big difference between a FROST and a FREEZE .... if it had froze.. it would have probably completely mush ... rather than just some tip damage ... its the level of intensity ... and this is why i skip the confusing words... and said.. cold damage ...

ken

I would have left the leaves on if they had just been ugly, but when I tipped the pot to get to the roots the whole thing came out and hit the ground before I could catch it. When it did it broke several stems off around leaf level and so I removed them.

I looked up the definition of frost. It’s when moisture (vapor phase water) in the air changes directly to ice (solid phase water) upon contact with a surface that is at or below 32F. Ambient temperature is measured 4-6 feet above ground level. That’s why there can be frost when temps are “above freezing”. The temp at ground level can be lower.

So, frost damage is the same as freeze damage. The tissue was frozen. That's why it looks that way. Whether you call it frost damage or freeze damage is semantics.

bkay