Dead or dying branches should also be removed. Diseased stems and branches become swollen and enlarged, and an excessive number of shoots will sprout vertically from the infected areas. A holly bush fungus treatment with a fungicide can help prevent this disease. Due to product cost and for accurate application, homeowners may want to hire a licensed landscaper to apply products containing these fungicides. Where practical, remove and destroy leaves in fall. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Closed for Christmas holiday closure sign. Drought Damage: Holly leaves often turn yellow or brown during a sudden drought period. Damage: Infected leaves develop spots, turn yellow or brown and drop off the tree. Females lay eggs in the soil, which hatch into grubs, a major lawn pest. An insecticidal spray containing one of the following active ingredients will reduce damage by adult spittlebugs: acephate, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin, or permethrin. Damage: Tips of infected branches may hang down. 2. View our Privacy Policy here. More than one spray may be required. A Woman Holding a Gift Card that Says "Merry Christmas" a Cozy Real Christmas Tree for a Family Christmas at Home in 2020. Cercospora will cause the foliage to turn brown and drop off prematurely. Size: 4 to 10 ft. (1.2 3 m) tall and wide. All Rights Reserved. Damage: A prolific broom infection has the potential to pop up all over the tree, destroying it in some cases. The holly is identifiable by its yellowish-white fragrant spring flower clusters. Most types of variegated holly plants have glossy dark to light green leaves with creamy yellow margins. They are small and immobile, with no visible legs. If you have an infected holly, remove it from the soil to stop spread of the fungus to other plants. Give your holly the best growing conditions possible, and avoid watering the foliage by using drip irrigation. The distinguishable feature of this holly is its long, drooping leafy stalks. Purple blotches appear on the leaves of the holly and, as the name indicates, are purple. The inkberry holly shrub has leathery obovate leaves, inconspicuous yellow flowers, and jet-black berries growing abundantly among evergreen foliage. Phytophthora Root Rot: The water mold fungi, Phytophthora cinnamomi, and other Phytophthora species cause root rot on hollies growing in very poorly drained sites or wet areas. The sky pencil holly plant is a tall, skinny tree or tall, narrow holly bush with small oval leaves like boxwood plants. Fungicide drenches are not generally recommended for landscape use since infected plants cannot be cured. Holly tree leaves: Eagleston holly tree leaves are green ovate leaves and sometimes have tiny short yellowish spines along the margins. Carolina holly is one of the deciduous species of holly. treating it with a supplemental iron-fortified fertilizer, Sweet Potato Black Rot : How To Manage Sweet Potatoes With Black Rot, Learn More About Common Rose Bush Diseases, Banana Plant Diseases And Pests: Troubleshooting Problems Affecting Bananas, Tips For Repotting Bird Of Paradise Plants, Tips For Repotting Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants, How To Make Poinsettia Turn Red Make A Poinsettia Rebloom, Tips For Pruning Hibiscus Plants & When To Prune Hibiscus, Basic Plant Life Cycle And The Life Cycle Of A Flowering Plant, Home & Garden Marketplace: Advertiser Info. This fungus primarily affects the root system and reduces plant vigor. Monitor the crawler emergence with sticky cards, double-faced tape wrapped around a branch, or by putting an infested shoot or leaf into a baggie and watching for crawler movement. Choose plants that are well-suited to your site. Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta) is resistant to the fungus; Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) is very susceptible. Tar Spot - Tar spot usually occurs with moist, cool springtime temperatures. There are two generations of two-lined spittlebugs in South Carolina, and this insect overwinters as eggs (generally laid in turfgrass). The Nellie Stevens is a popular landscaping shrub-like tree for its shiny appearance and ease of care. Horticultural oil sprays kill by suffocation and can provide excellent control of all scales. Use a fungicide recommended for hollies if the outbreak becomes severe. Bag or burn the leaves to prevent the spread of disease. Leafminer damage on American holly (Ilex opaca).Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, www.forestryimages.org. The fungus Thielaviopsis basicola causes black root rot. Disinfect pruning tools by dipping after each cut in a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach and 9 parts water. Follow the product label for rate and application directions. This series of Key Plant, Key Pests publications are designed for Florida gardeners, horticulturalists, and landscape professionals to help identify common pests associated with common Florida flora. Better Homes & Gardens - 100 years of powering your passions at home. Holly dieback due to Phytophthora root rot in a root cell. They occur in the spring during periods when the weather is cool and moist. This is where the beetle exited the tree. The slow-growing deciduous holly shrub leaves may turn maroon in the fall before the leaves drop. Rake up fallen leaves under the holly periodically and keep the area free of debris. If spraying is required, always spray late in the evening to reduce the direct impact on pollinating insects. Plants may appear water-stressed, and there may be a yellowing of foliage followed by leaf drop. Holly leaves are typically ovate or oblong, glossy green with wavy margins that are spiked, serrated, or smooth. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. The holly, its bright-red berries a favorite symbol of winter, is one of the most popular landscape trees. A perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9, it is a cross between English holly (Ilex aquifolium) and Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), both of which grow in. The dense evergreen shrub grows up to 5 ft. (1.5 m) tall and 6 ft. (1.8 m) spread and is a popular landscape plant that can be used for topiary. However, some scale species may have overlapping generations with an extended crawler emergence period, such as along the coast. To avoid introducing these pathogens, purchase hollies with healthy roots and good foliage color. Holly tree berries: Small shiny black oblong fruits. Prevention & Treatment: Hollies grown under stress are much more sensitive to root rot disease than are well-maintained, vigorous plants. Adult beetle traps may lure more beetles than you already have in your garden. Size: 10 to 20 ft. (3 6 m) tall with a spread of 10 to 15 ft. (3 4.5 m). It can vary from 1/8-inch growth on leaves to massive swells on a tree's trunk. Spine spot occurs when the leaves of the holy perforate. Holly tree berries: Chinese holly tree berries are red and grow in clusters between glossy foliage. Use raised beds in landscape plantings to provide good drainage. Holly Diseases. Care for plants well so that they are not under stress from other factors. Photo by Leah Bauer, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, Bugwood.org. For example, sprays with insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, neem oil extract, spinosad, Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t. Sphaeropsis knot of holly often begins in lower In the autumn, a flat black, cushion-shaped fungal structure forms beneath the leaf surface. Justin Stewart is a contributing writer to DoItYourself.com. This complicates the diagnostics, and the outcome is often lethal. Holly leaves can be spiked or smooth, green or variegated. Their presence inside the leaf protects them from many insecticides. Nematodes can cause symptoms that resemble those caused by disease, and their feeding on plant roots can also create openings that allow disease pathogens to enter. Another holly bush plant disease is Botryosphaeria canker, also called bot canker, which can occur on all types of holly. This disease begins as small, yellow spots on the leaves, which eventually become reddish brown to black in color and drop out, leaving holes in the foliage. The tree's cuttings are popular in Christmas decorations such as wreaths, and Florida homeowners often use branches to decorate mantels and other indoor areas for the holiday season. These trees are also known for producing a large number of berries beloved by wildlife. Control: Naturally occurring predators of mites include various predatory mites, ladybird beetles, and other insects. Unlike common varieties of holly trees, the dahoon holly doesnt have spiky leaves. The fungus thrives in areas with poor drainage and warm soils. Control: Most canker-causing fungi infect stressed or injured trees. The adult female inserts eggs into young leaves through puncture wounds made by her ovipositor. The American holly tree looks like the English holly and is often used for Christmas decorations. Plant diverse species. Prune your holly tree in the summer to thin the branches to improve air circulation and reduces the risk of disease. The dahoon holly is a slow-growing holly tree. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. He has worked as a handyman for various individuals since 2013, with a focus on lawn care and home renovation.  verticillata, zones 3-9) hollies. Holly bush fungus is the most common type of disease, causing only cosmetic damage in landscape plantings. However, holly bushes typically grow up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) tall and are multi-stemmed plants. Drench = Add to water and pour around base of plant. In addition, the long pendulous stalks feature clusters of red berries throughout winter. Damage: An EAB-infected tree has a thin or dying crown and erratic growth along the tree's trunk. The dahoon holly is a small evergreen tree with ovate to oval smooth green leaves with slightly serrated tips and brilliant red winter berries. Neem oil extract or botanical oil sprays may also reduce plant damage by repelling many insect pests. Remove infected plants and replace them with other shrubs or resistant holly species, such as Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta). Avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer in spring and early summer. The holly, its bright-red berries a favorite symbol of winter, is one of the most popular landscape trees. While it rarely kills plants, rust fungus makes leaves unsightly and weakens the plant by interfering with photosynthesis, the process a plant uses to make food. Comprehensive details about visible damage as well as control measures accompany each image to help you get a handle on what is troubling your tree. Apply a fungicide as a soil drench to protect healthy roots. Damage: When this tree disease hits, leaves are covered with a thin layer or irregular patches of a powdery, grayish-white material. Perform a soil drench every four to 12 weeks during the spring and summer where preventing root rots is a concern. Spray late in the day and when no rainfall is expected within 24 hours. Holly tree leaves: Prickly, leathery, shiny dark green leaves that are 3 (7.5 cm) long and an ovate to oval shape. Finally, upon close inspection of the trunk, you might see unique "D" shaped holes. Typically, yellowing of the leaves (particularly at the shoot tips), early leaf drop, slowed plant growth, and twig dieback are seen at early stages of the disease. Scales are unusual insects in appearance. In late fall, tiny black dots are scattered over the white patches like pepper grains. Tar spot occurs when the airborne fungus Phacidium curtisii attacks the plant. This publication provides information and general management recommendations for Florida wax scale, tea scale, Cylindrocladium leaf spot, dieback, . The Clemson Cooperative Extension notes that hollies succumb to fungal root rots when planted on poorly draining soil or when overly mulched. With this disease, yellow spots appear on the leaves in May. Think before you treat. Control: Prune and destroy brooms and injured branches. We welcome your comments and When tar spots are noticed, those leaves should be removed immediately to prevent its spread to other leaves on the holly. Leaves will drop off and branches may die back. The American holly ( Ilex opaca) is commonly used as a substitute for the English holly in Christmas dcor, in areas where the latter doesn't grow as well. Key Pests: Holly. Holly tree berries: Japanese holly tree berries are large, black, rounded fruits that look like large blackcurrants. With severe infestations, webs may cover both leaf surfaces and branch tips. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. However, most people refer to holly fruit as berries. Thoroughly water the area immediately. Being able to identify the types of disease that may cause the tree to become damaged or suffer a premature death will help a holly tree owner apply a fix that will save the tree and prolong its life. to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. Repeat this application after 10 days to better control the crawlers, adults, and eggs by smothering them. Cankers are also a fungal infection, affecting the stems of the leaves. Holly bushes are generally hardy but can occasionally suffer their share of diseases, pests and other problems. Holly bush leaves: Dark green obovate-shaped leaves with toothed margins measuring 2 to 3 (5 7.5 cm) long. However, poisoning from holly berries is usually harmless. Some of the most spectacular varieties of holly trees and bushes are variegated cultivars. Aileen Clarkson has been an award-winning editor and reporter for more than 20 years, earning three awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. The larvae are about 1/16-inch long. Grow as an evergreen screen to keep out unwanted intruders or wildlife. 4. Treatment outside this risk zone is not prudent. Mix thiophanate-methyl in water according to all label directions, and thoroughly saturate the ground around the plant with the mixture. For more information, contact the Clemson Extension Home & Garden Information Center. The various types of hollies include large trees, bushy shrubs, and dwarf cultivars. This publication, the eighth in the Key Plant, Key Pests series, helps identify the most common pests found on holly ( Ilex sp.). Like any other tree root disease, rots are unnoticed as they happen under the soil surface. Tar spot is a fungal infection that appears on the holly tree. The stems should be cut out and removes from the holly tree immediately to prevent and spreading and further damage. In the case of infectious cankers, remove branches six to 12 inches below the canker. The best defense against canker is prevention. The Sphaeropsis tumefaciens fungus, often called Sphaeropsis gall or the less formal witches' broom, starts at the holly's lowest part. Japanese hollies (I. crenata) are very intolerant of poorly drained soils and are especially prone to root rot. Holly bushes have relatively few life-threatening problems, although there are a few common holly tree diseases. If your holly has extensive damage, dry periods will cause it to decline and die. Too much moisture, not enough airflow, & poor soil are the most common issues that cause fungus and diseases for holly bushes. In South Carolina, the native holly leafminer (Phytomyza ilicicola) is the most common. On extensively infested hosts, there is a general decline in plant health, with limb or branch death, and possibly plant death. The plants flowers can help identify female holly plants apart from male flowers. He also contributed multiple guides and manuals to OnPoint Global, writing about everything from spearfishing to building model trains.  of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson UniversityClyde S. Gorsuch, PhD, Emeritus Faculty, Entomology, Clemson University, Joey Williamson, PhD, HGIC Horticulture Extension Agent, Clemson University.