Holly Bushes Losing Leaves

Question

We planted some new holly bushes last spring. Although they didn’t have a ton of berries, the leaves looked great. Over the past few weeks, we have noticed that two of the four we planted have begun to lose leaves. I have never had holly bushes before and don’t know whether this is normal. If not normal, what could be the problem?

Answer 1

The good news is that it is likely a fixable problem (brown leaves are more of an indicator of disease). There are several things that cause yellow leaves on a holly. Mostly, it is an indicator that the plant is stressed. Here is an article on some possible causes of the stress: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/holly/holly-yellow-leaves.htm

The other thing that may be causing the stress is pests. This would also explain the random nature of the stress. Check the plants carefully for pests. I would even say to go as far as to treat the plants with an insecticide (I like neem oil, myself – effective and organic) just in case. Some pests can be very hard to see.