My New China Girl/Boy Holly Bush Has Spider Webs and Berries Are All Brown

Question

What is going on with my Holly bush? Small green berries form, but never mature to red and now most of the berries are brown and shriveled. Spider webs with small spiders are forming all over the new bushes. What to do?

Answer 1

There is a pest called a holly berry midge. It gets into the berries of hollies and they will not turn color when they are infested with them. I suspect that this may be your problem. This article will help:
http://www.upenn.edu/paflora/plantclinic/hollyberrymidge.htm

Treating the shrub with neem oil should help with the spiders.