the pix posted sideways.. right???? ...

is the stone wall behind ... south facing??? ... imo.. nothing should be planted that close to a wall ...

how did you water them ... any fast cold weather this fall ...

where are you.. besides southern??? .. big city name good enough ...

they arent dead ... look for next years buds.. and as long as those look good.. it can releaf in spring ...

were they previously shaded by that which you removed... when did you do that ... could they have sunburnt???

other will have to address boxwood issues ... i just never bothered with them ...

whatever it ends up being.. i would wait until the bud out in spring.. before i would consider doing anything with them ... UNLESS they are simply driving you nuts... and then.. just get rid of them ... lifes too short ...

ken

Yes it's south facing. They were planted by the builder.

I watered during the summer and fall but haven't water since November. Only rain maybe once a week to every other week.

Charlotte, Zone 7, I believe.

Will they turn orange like this every year?

No shade. The previous shrubs were smaller. Summer was really hot and dry but they didn't start turning orange until November.

Just wondering since I've never seen shrubs turn that color. I had boxwoods at my previous house in Michigan but they never turned this color.

Thanks!

They do look like boxwoods - clearer photos would confirm - and many varieties of box do turn orange with cold weather. It is not a permanent discoloration - just seasonal - and they should green up in spring.

ETA: boxwood varieties suitable for colder climates often do not have this somewhat unattractive feature :-) They have been bred to hold their green coloring through the winter.

Definitely one of the Asiatic boxwood varieties. As mentioned there are kinds on the market that are much better at looking green during winter.

how far are they planted.. from the south facing wall??? .. i reread.... and im pretty sure you didnt answer this ...

the wall could be the cause of some of this problem ... either too hot during the day.. and hence a watering issue ... or cement leaching into the soil... etc ...

but.. the bottom line.. is that foundation plants are planted to HIDE the foundation ... not ON THE FOUNDATION ... not matter what you plant there.. the wall might cause problems ...

it is not uncommon for builders to not understand the premise ... or their workers dont care ...

there is a possibility.. its not a plant problem.. on some level ...

that said ....

personally.... i like seasonal color change ... its what makes the seasons different ... its like two different plants in one year ...

others want one color ... and so be it ... but if that is what you prefer ... then just get rid of them.. eventually ...

i would still suggest you live with them for a year.. just to see ... learn... what its all about ...

ken