Several of my shrubs, including two cistus roses and a ceanothus, look really miserable after this winter. Their leaves are completely brown and I don't see any new growth. Should I remove the leaves, prune back the branches, or just leave them alone until spring? Thanks for any advice.
Wait and see what they do after it warms up. As most species in these genera are not hardy you might actually have some losses. Hot and dry sites with sharp drainage and shelter from icy winds best. Both are Mediterranean climate genera adapted to blazing summers and warm, rainy winters. Even the locally native ceanothus that extend up into the north are characteristic of hot locations, if not hot climates. When other trees and shrubs begin to grow up around them and cast shadows they may die right out.
