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The Daily Insight

What is anti-desiccant spray for evergreens?

Author

Isabella Ramos

Updated on February 25, 2026

Anti-desiccants, also called anti-transpirants, are surface sprays that help preserve evergreen foliage from excessive winter drying. During winter dormancy, many trees remove or reduce water from their internal tissues because they are not actively growing above ground.

What is an anti-desiccant?

An anti-desiccant (also known as an anti-transpirant) is a spray that provides a protective waxy coating to reduce water loss from an evergreen’s foliage.

How do you make anti-desiccant spray?

How to Make an Anti-Desiccant for Plants

  1. Mix one drop of pine oil with 1 quart of water in a garden sprayer.
  2. Spray anti-desiccant evenly over the tops and undersides of leaves or needles once in late fall and once in late winter, when temperatures are between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the plants are dormant.

Is desiccant good for plants?

Anti-desiccant applications are very beneficial for plants exposed to wind and/or full sun that will lose moisture faster than ones which are protected from the wind and in shade.

Do evergreen trees and shrubs need anti-desiccants?

This is very damaging, particularly to evergreen trees and shrubs that don’t protect themselves by dropping their leaves in winter. Anti-desiccants are products that can be applied to evergreen trees and shrubs to help hold in moisture through the winter.

What are anti-desiccants and how do they work?

Anti-desiccants are products that can be applied to evergreen trees and shrubs to help hold in moisture through the winter. If you have problems with cold damage in your garden, you may want to give them a try. What Are Anti-Desiccants?

Can you spray anti-desiccant on trees in the winter?

Some anti-desiccants are made with chemical polymers, but others are made with more natural ingredients (like pine oil). One application should get a tree through a moderately cold winter. Harsher temperatures, however, may require you to apply the spray twice (most likely in December and again a few months later).

What plants are anti-dessicants used on?

Anti-dessicants are most often used on: 1 Broadleaf evergreens such as azalea, boxwood, holly, and rhododendron. 2 Conifers such as arborvitae, cedar, cypress, juniper, and pine. 3 Tender stems such as rose canes and hydrangea stems. More