China Girl Holly has black coating

Question

China Girl Holly has black coating on inside branches and leaves. How do I get rid of these? After this awful winter I have noticed that the holly has a black coating covering wood and leaves but only inside the bush. The outer leaves and wood looks OK?

Answer 1

This sounds like sooty mold.
Neem Oil is a good treatment.
Here is a link with more information.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/how-to-get-rid-of-sooty-mold.htm