dry buxus harlandii started to shoot new boughs, cut old ones?

Hi,

I got new buxus harlandii during the winter. I had it for few days at home, and then moved it to my office. Unfortunately, after moving it to office, it started to dry out . It was probably my fault, for the first day or two it was at the table close to the heating. It completely dry out and leaves easily fall down. After few days it somehow regained some power and started to shoots new boughs. However these have only limited space to grow since old boughs are pushing them.

I don't know how to help him to survive and grow. Should I cut some dry boughs - at least the thin ones? Or is it better to let it grow? I am adding few pics.

http://postimg.org/image/ekzrn3383/
http://postimg.org/image/wm0fquual/
http://postimg.org/image/dqq9pkd4f/
http://postimg.org/image/b7ugurp1t/

Thanks!

Like Geo was trying to say. Cut all of the dead off and get it outdoors.

Thank you. However, it is not so easy to put it outside, since I live in the city with no own garden. Does it make sense to put it outside (e.g. balcony) for a part of the day (e.g. when I am at work) and then for night put it back to the office? Or will this frequent change just make it worse?

It can't hurt it worse than being inside 24/7. Might help might not. Hard saying.

OK, thank you, I am already trying this.

If it is any consultation, the hard drying out might have happened even before you received the tree, It takes a little time to show, you yourself might have not done anything wrong. Though dry heat from a vent will dehydrate a tree pretty quick.

Would it be possible to leave it on the balcony day and night?

Putting it outside during the day is fine, it will help. A single pane of glass blocks at least 30 to 60 % of sunlight. A modern office building the glass blocks around 60 to 70% of sunlight light. No artificial light can match natural sunlight for intensity. (there are some expensive high tech set ups that come close, but that is another topic) So definitely, if you can get it outside, do so. But the first time you put it out, set it in a partly shaded spot for about 2 weeks, the foliage needs to harden off to be prepared for the intensity of full sun. They grow best with full sun. You need strong growth to gain strength to recover from the damage done by drying out.

BUT, to allow the tree to gain full strength, it needs to be 7 to 12 degrees C cooler at night than during the day. Too warm at night, and most of the sugars made during the day will be consumed by metabolism over night. Cooler at night slows metabolism, and allows the tree to accumulate sugars, which provide the energy for growth. The tree needs to gain strength. Building interiors do not cool off at night enough to allow this to happen year round. If you could leave it outside it is naturally cooler at night outdoors, and the problem is solved just by simply leaving it outside. If the building is air conditioned, the inside at night, outside during the day will work through the heat of the summer, but spring and autumn, when the building is warmer than outside, it will not work very well.

Indoors for the winter, and outdoors for the summer is an acceptable plan for this species, though they are sufficiently winter hardy Buxus should be able to survive outdoors planted in the ground through your winter. On a balcony it will need extra protection, or it could be a houseplant for the winter. But you can read up and ask questions about this in 6 months. First we need to keep it growing. Don't repot or try to do any styling this year. Just get it growing again.

The new shoots are great, a sign it is possible to save this tree. I would leave them all grow right now. You could remove some of the dead, but be gentle, The new growth is very tender and will break off easily. I would leave it along and let it grow a couple months. Then the new growth will have hardened off some and won't break so easily when you go in to clear out the dead.

Good luck, so far a good "save". Hopefully you will be able to keep this one growing for many years to come.

Thank you, for this comprehensive answer. A lot of useful information.
The temperatures outside (12-20 deg C -day ) are currently very similar to temperatures inside the building, so basically, even thought I am putting the tree outside during the day it feels the same temperature all day(and night) long. So probably it is experiencing the effect you described. Unfortunately, I noticed that also of the new boughs started to dry/die. On the other hand, there are still new ones coming,
Thank you for recommendation I will try to find solution to provide warm-day/cold-night cycle.

I have a few boxwoods that stay outside 24/7 all year round, they get morning sun, afternoon shade. The oldest ones are around 45yrs old, Boxwoods are not house plants. You don't need a yard, a deck or patio will do. Just get it outside.