Does not look good. Are the branches brittle? You might want to pull back the leaves and see if somethings coming up.

tj

Are they both the same variety? I have some that have started to leaf out and others that look like your photo #2 - different varieties. Easiest thing to do it to cut into one of the branches - is it brittle as tj asks or green and supple? That'll tell you the story...
Good luck!

Easiest thing to do it to cut into one of the branches - is it brittle as tj asks or green and supple? That'll tell you the story...

==>> NO ... the easiest thing to do.. give it another couple weeks.. and at least wait until the time it usually leafs out .. and see if it does ...

otherwise.. what FF and the rest said ...

were these end of the year bargains???

ken

Hi,
Thanks for the responses. I think theses were the same variety. I took the above photos yesterday. Today I notice that there are 2 leaves on the one that looks dead. Both leaves are near the bottom of the plant. When I break a piece of wood near the top it seems dead, but last year was my first time ever planting anything in my life so I really am not qualified to say... These were not end of season bargins.

these are generally a 'run it over with the truck' type plant ... nearly impossible to kill ...

they are probably rooted.. so it will come up from the roots, true to name.. and with a vengeance ...

just give it a few more weeks.. and then start pruning out the dead stuff ...

link below to PROPER planting techniques ... in case you want to try again ...

its all part of the learning curve ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link