The Wild Winter of 2025–2026: What Happened to Our Landscapes and What To Do Now

Winter 2025–2026 brought heavy snow, powerful winds, and rapid temperature swings across New Jersey and New York, causing major damage to trees and landscape plants. Learn why the storms were so impactful and how to restore your landscape this spring.

Hello everyone, Carmine here!

Today’s blog is about one of the most intense winters we’ve experienced in quite a while across the Northeast, especially here in New Jersey and New York. If you stepped outside over the past few months, you probably noticed something unusual: fast-moving storms, heavy snow loads, powerful wind, and sudden temperature swings that caused serious stress to landscapes.

Some areas across the Northeast saw more than two feet of snow from single storms this winter, with parts of New Jersey recording over 27 inches during the major February blizzard alone. In fact, the 2025–2026 season has already been one of the snowiest winters in over a decade for parts of the region.

And when snow falls fast and heavy like that, especially the wet kind, it can wreak havoc on trees and landscape plants.

This year I’ve personally seen uprooted trees, snapped limbs, bent shrubs, and landscape plants flattened under snow loads. Everything from arborvitae and junipers to boxwoods, Japanese maples, and crape myrtles took a hit.

So let’s talk about what actually happened this winter, why the damage was so widespread, and what homeowners and contractors should be doing right now as we move into spring.

Why This Winter Hit Landscapes So Hard

The biggest factor this year was heavy wet snow combined with strong wind and temperature swings.

Wet snow is extremely dense and heavy. When it accumulates quickly, it puts enormous pressure on branches and stems. Evergreens in particular are vulnerable because their dense foliage traps snow and ice.

Plants like:

• Arborvitae

• Junipers

• Boxwoods

• Goldthread cypress

• Japanese maples

• Crape myrtle

all tend to collect snow on their structure. Arborvitae especially act like funnels that catch snow, which pushes branches outward and can permanently deform the plant or break stems entirely.

Combine that with wind and rapid freezes, and you get the perfect recipe for plant damage.

This is why many people woke up after storms to see plants bent over, branches split, or even entire trees uprooted.

Another Big Factor: The Strange Fall Before Winter

Something else that made this winter worse was the weather leading up to it.

During the fall of 2025, we had some unusual warm and cold swings that delayed dormancy for many plants. In simple terms, a lot of plants kept growing longer than they normally would.

That means many shrubs and trees entered winter with:

• softer new growth

• longer flexible branches

• stems that hadn’t fully hardened yet

When the heavy snow arrived, those weaker branches were much more likely to bend under the weight.

In some cases that was actually a good thing, because flexible wood can bend instead of snapping. But in many landscapes it pushed plants right into the danger zone — laying them flat or twisting their natural shape.

The Damage I’ve Been Seeing in the Field

This winter I’ve personally seen some pretty wild situations across landscapes.

Examples include:

• 40+ year old trees knocked over

• 20 year old arborvitae uprooted

• multi-stem shrubs completely flattened

• ornamental trees with split limbs

• hedges permanently splayed outward

Heavy snow is notorious for bending evergreens and multi-stem shrubs outward from their center, sometimes permanently changing their shape.

It’s messy out there right now — and early spring is when homeowners start noticing it.

Spring Is Starting Earlier Than People Think

Believe it or not, many plants are already beginning their early growth cycle right now in early March.

If you look closely at trees, you’ll start to see:

• buds swelling

• subtle color changes in branches

• early signs of growth activity

In the Northeast, January and February are usually the snowiest months, but March often marks the transition toward spring growth.

Once plants start pushing growth, that’s when structure really matters.

Bent plants will continue growing in the shape they’re currently in — which is why fixing them early is important.

What You Should Do Right Now

If your plants are still bent over or laying down from snow damage, now is the time to help them recover.

Some basic things you can do include:

Prop plants back upright

Use soft rope, twine, or garden tape to gently bring branches back toward their natural shape. Avoid anything abrasive that could cut into bark.

Support weaker plants

Stakes or temporary ties can help plants regain structure as new growth develops.

Leave flexible branches alone

Branches that simply bent from snow can often recover if trained back upright.

Prune broken limbs

If branches snapped completely, those should be pruned properly to prevent disease or decay.

The key is addressing it early in the growing season before plants start locking into their new shape.

Landscapes Are Going to Need a Reset This Year

Because of how rough this winter was, many properties across the Northeast will need some level of landscape reset this spring.

That might mean:

• reshaping damaged plants

• replacing broken shrubs

• redesigning areas where trees were lost

• correcting spacing or plant choices

Sometimes a storm becomes the opportunity to rethink a landscape and build something stronger and more resilient.

Need Help With Your Landscape?

If you ended up here because you searched something like:

• how to get my plants upright again

• how to fix a broken tree limb

• snow damage to arborvitae

there are solutions.

Whether you’re a homeowner, contractor, or DIY gardener dealing with winter damage, I’m happy to help you figure out what can be saved, what needs fixing, and what your next steps should be.

Reach out to Horticulture Specialists and get your landscape back into shape.

After a winter like this, spring is going to be a big one.

Something Most People Don’t Realize: Snow Weight Is Extremely Heavy

One thing many homeowners don’t realize is just how heavy snow can actually be.

There is a big difference between light fluffy snow and the dense wet snow we often see in the Northeast. Wet snow can weigh two to three times more than powder snow, which means it puts tremendous pressure on branches and shrubs.

When that type of snow falls quickly and accumulates on plants, it creates what arborists call “snow load” — essentially the weight pushing down on branches.

This is why during storms you sometimes hear branches cracking in the distance.

Under enough weight, branches begin to bend downward. Once they reach their structural limit, they split, snap, or even cause entire trees to fail.

If wind is involved at the same time, the stress multiplies.

That combination is exactly what caused so much damage across landscapes this winter.

Why Evergreen Plants Took the Worst Damage

Another major reason landscapes were hit hard this year comes down to plant structure.

Evergreens like arborvitae, junipers, and boxwoods tend to trap snow within their foliage. Their dense growth habits act almost like a funnel that collects snow and ice inside the plant rather than letting it fall through.

Once enough snow builds up inside the canopy, the branches start pushing outward.

This is why arborvitae sometimes look like they exploded open after a heavy storm.

Sometimes they recover on their own over time. Other times the shape becomes permanently distorted if they aren’t corrected early.

This is especially common in hedges where the plants were already growing tight together.

Snow Can Actually Help Plants Too

Interestingly enough, snow isn’t always the enemy.

In many cases, snow actually protects plants during winter.

A consistent layer of snow acts like natural insulation for the soil, helping stabilize temperatures and protecting roots from extreme cold swings.

It can also help prevent freeze–thaw cycles that push roots out of the ground.

The problem comes when storms bring too much snow too quickly, especially the heavy wet kind.

That’s when snow changes from protective blanket to structural stress.

What Homeowners Should Be Watching For Right Now

As the snow melts and spring approaches, there are a few things homeowners should be checking around their property.

Look for signs like:

• shrubs that are permanently leaning

• cracked or hanging branches

• split trunks

• exposed roots from partially uprooted trees

• plants that look “opened up” in the middle

Some damage isn’t obvious right away.

Sometimes branches remain attached but are internally cracked. These can fail later during wind or storms.

This is why inspecting landscapes in early spring is so important.

A Quick Tip During Future Snowstorms

During heavy snow events, if snow begins building up on shrubs or small trees, gently brushing the snow off from the bottom upward can help reduce pressure before branches reach their breaking point.

Using a broom or gloved hand works best.

Avoid shaking frozen branches or trying to break ice off plants. That can cause even more damage to bark and stems.

Sometimes patience is the best solution.

Something I’ve Noticed Over the Years

After working with plants for years, certain patterns tend to repeat themselves season after season.

When plants start budding earlier than expected, it often means the region has accumulated enough warm temperatures to begin the growth cycle.

Early budding often suggests that warmer weather patterns are beginning to establish themselves.

This can mean a longer growing season, faster plant growth, and potentially a hot or humid summer.

Nothing in nature is guaranteed, but plants often give us subtle hints about seasonal shifts.

Common Winter Plant Damage in New Jersey Landscapes (and How to Fix It)

Winter storms across New Jersey commonly cause several types of plant damage.

Understanding what you’re looking at helps determine whether a plant can recover or if it needs intervention.

Bent or Splayed Arborvitae

Heavy snow pushes branches outward.

Solution: gently tie branches upright with soft twine to help the plant regain its natural form.

Split Branches on Ornamental Trees

Snow load and wind can crack limbs on trees like Japanese maples or flowering cherries.

Solution: prune broken limbs cleanly back to the nearest healthy branch collar.

Uprooted Trees

Saturated soil combined with wind and snow weight can tip trees over.

Solution: younger trees can sometimes be reset and staked, while larger mature trees may require professional removal or assessment.

Flattened Shrubs

Boxwoods, junipers, and similar shrubs can become permanently misshapen.

Solution: support and reshape early in spring while stems are still flexible.

Addressing these issues early in the season gives plants the best chance to recover and grow properly through the rest of the year.

Blog Outro

Winter 2025–2026 reminded us just how powerful weather can be. Landscapes across New Jersey, New York, and the Northeast took a serious hit from heavy snow, strong wind, and unusual seasonal swings.

The good news is plants are resilient.

With the right care, early attention, and smart planning, most landscapes can recover — and sometimes even come back stronger than before.

Spring is right around the corner.

Let’s get these landscapes flowing again.

— Carmine

Horticulture Specialists, LLC