My Holly Tree Is Losing Leaves

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Holly leaves should be dense and glossy.
Image Credit: Kazam Jan / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages

Holly trees are beautiful, resilient plants that can add curb appeal to any home. If you have a holly tree in your yard and notice that it is losing leaves, you may wonder what to do. Don't worry if your holly tree looks dead. Holly trees are very resilient, and most likely, your tree will grow back healthy and strong. However, you can do a few things to help your holly tree stay healthy and prevent it from losing leaves.

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Stress on a Holly Tree

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First, it is important to discuss why your holly tree is dropping green leaves. Holly trees are evergreen, meaning they keep their leaves year-round. However, they do shed leaves occasionally. This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.

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The most common reasons for holly tree leaf loss are stress, damage, or disease. There are a few reasons this could happen, but the most common is due to stress. This can be caused by extreme weather (harsh winds, cold snaps, etc.), improper watering or even too much fertilizer. If your holly tree is stressed, it will start to lose leaves in an attempt to conserve energy.

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Watering and Fertilizing

If you think your holly tree is stressed, there are a few things you can do to help it recover. First, make sure you are watering it properly. Holly trees need about an inch of water per week. If you live in an area with a lot of rain, you may not need to water your holly tree as much.

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Second, fertilize your holly tree with an organic fertilizer in the spring. This will help it recover from any winter damage and give it a boost of nutrients. Finally, make sure you are pruning your holly tree properly. Pruning helps holly trees stay healthy by removing dead or damaged leaves and branches.

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Holly Leaf Blight

If your holly tree is losing leaves due to damage or holly leaf blight disease, there are a few things you can do to help it recover. Holly tree blight can look different from tree to tree. Most of the time, you will see holly leaves turning yellow with black spots. If you think your holly tree has blight, the first thing you should do is contact a certified arborist or horticulturist, who will have more information and guidance for your local area.

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Canker diseases are also common in holly trees. These diseases cause sunken, dark lesions on the leaves, branches and trunk of the holly tree. If you think your holly tree has canker disease, the first step is pruning the damaged leaves. Holly trees can be infested with other pests as well, such as scale, mites and holly leaf miners.

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Prevention of Holly Tree Leaf Loss

If your holly tree is healthy but you want to prevent it from losing leaves in the future, there are a few things you can do. First, mulch around the base of your holly tree. This will help retain moisture and protect the roots from extreme weather. Second, avoid fertilizing your holly tree in the fall. This can cause new growth that is susceptible to damage from cold weather. Finally, make sure you are pruning your holly tree regularly. Pruning helps holly trees stay healthy and prevents leaf loss.

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By following these tips, you can help stop your holly tree leaves from turning brown in summer. The best holly tree care involves watering, fertilizing, and pruning regularly. If your holly tree is still losing leaves, contact a certified arborist or horticulturist for help.

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