Blue Prince Holly

Question

We have a Blue Prince holly that was planted last summer. It thrived all summer and had good growth by fall. This winter it turned brown and looks dead. It is supposed to be able to be grown in our area. I have a new Blue Princess to plant this spring but I don’t want to plant it until I figure out why the Blue Prince died back. We had a very wet summer last year and the area where they are planted is fairly wet. . . would this cause it or could it be another problem? Aren’t these hollies supposed to stay evergreen through winter? We weren’t able to find a Princess last summer so the Prince was planted alone. Would that cause the die back or could it be the ground? Will this green up once it gets warmer?

Answer 1

The wet soil is likely the problem. Wet soil that freezes in the winter is very hard on the roots of plants and it actually what kills more plants in winter than the actual cold. They are suppose to stay green, but if the stems are alive still, it may regrow it leaves. This article will help you determine if the plant is still alive: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm Beyond that, I would either try to improve the drainage in the area before planting the other one or choose a new, better draining location.