Looks like Japanese laurel, Aucuba japonica, with some winter cold damage. Likely more marginally than reliably hardy in your area but should respond to pruning back the damaged portions. This is a plant that would prefer to be in some shade and will actually tolerate very heavy shade.

Aucubas are considered reasonably hardy in Mid-Atlantic, but last winter was a record-breaker with relentless cold and lots of dessicating winds.

In that regard, likely one of the worst in 30 years here on the East Coast. Interestingly we set no cold records, but the DURATION had everything to do with all the damage you see on broadleafed evergreens.

Aucubas in full sun fared much worse than those in shade.

Thanks for the advice. I will cut the damaged portions off and see how they recover.

It seems to me (my not so educated opinion) that despite the lack of 1985/1994 type ultimate low temperatures, the duration of the cold meant that the ground froze deeper than it did even in those winters, causing dessication when evergreen plants couldn't pull moisture up to the leaves on sunny days.

hairmetal4ever,

Yes, the ground probably froze deeper and for longer. It will be interesting to see if cannas and dahlias survived. I have some crinums and agapanthus coming up, so I wonder how bad the frozen ground was a problem.

But the cold dessicating winds (a new cold front each week for a long time) did the most damage in my opinion (and in combination with frozen ground).

I will cut the damaged portions off

==>> i dont know what you mean by that ... but unless a branch was stone cold dead.. i would cut nothing off ...

i wouldnt go lopping off big chunks of branches.. due to some superficial leaf damage ...

dead wood is removed.. when you are sure its dead [like in 2 months or so] ..

damaged leaves are left to fall off.. and the branches grow new ones ... be very clear on this .. no plant holds its leaves forever.. they are continually regenerated ... we do not go cutting off live branches due to leaf damage ... well.. for that reason alone.. shaping is a different issue ...

ken

Ken, with the understanding that there are not all that many broadleaved evergreen shrubs available in MI, it is a very common practice to cut back any winter damaged portion on the these plants. In many cases, these are plants which are often used as hedging as well and can be sheared back routinely with no ill effect.

So yes, we DO "go cutting off live branches due to leaf damage"........when the reasons exist, as it does in this case.

Aucuba is one of the many plants that responds beautifully to total rejuvenation pruning. This should be done very early in the spring so that the plant can respond right away with a lot of new growth.

Your plant will never look quite right after being pruned haphazardly. Cut it to the ground in one fell swoop and it will grow back prettier than ever.