The growing tips on over 40 Holly shrubs lining our chain link fence have gone black and wilted. The winter was really mild here, but there has been intermitten frost. It looks like many new leaves on a Tulip tree nearby have gone brown and are dying as well.
Here is an article that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/tips-for-saving-cold-damaged-plants.htm
I want to trim American Holly. Just bought a house and they are out of control. They have branches going everywhere and some are too tall.
These articles should help you determine how to prune your American holly.
My American hollies are on located in a bed along the north side of our home. They are a good 10+ years old, are leggy with lots of space between limbs. They do berry beautifully and appear to be healthy. They have never been pruned. Is there hope by hard pruning to rejuvenate them to a compact appearance or will they only rejuvenate where the original limbs exist?
If you are looking to give your holly bushes some major rejuvenation, they can be cut to the ground during winter dormancy - the links below discuss this in more detail. Rejuvenation pruning allows you to transform a once-leggy shrub into a more compact, bushier shrub.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/holly/trimming-holly-bushes-how-to-prune-holly-bushes.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/shgen/rejuvenation-pruning-tips.htm
I have several American Holly trees that lost all their leaves but have small shoots of leaves in random places on some branches. It appears the bark is falling off. Should I just cut them down or wait to see if they recover? Is this a mole problem or the result of a bad winter?
The American Holly Tree can be susceptible to many diseases and insects, as well as environmental issues.
Losing all the leaves in itself, the plant can sometimes correct itself and grow them back. Losing it's bark is generally a sign of death in a tree.
I don't thin the mole issue you mention is a factor.
I usually play on the safe side and wait and see, but sometimes cutting the losses is appropriate. Loss in a garden makes for new opportunities.
I bought an American Holly of about 15" to 18" early last summer. Over the course of the season the central stem died out at the top so that the growth ever since has been outward (from branches) instead of upward (from a central stem). How can I prune so that the central stem once again is the primary point of upward growth? Thanks! Steve Holmes Orange, Virginia
There is not really a way to prune it to grow upwards.
You can prune to improve shape.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/holly/american-holly-trees.htm
I cannot figure out what kind of tree this is. I live in South Florida and this looks like an oak tree but it has toothed leaves and just today I noticed green berries growing in clusters. The leaf reminds me of a holly leaf but this grows like an oak. Thanks.
I believe you are correct in recognizing a holly. I think you have American holly (Ilex opaca) a Forida native. Yes it is a tree form, so may appear to grow like an oak.
http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/shrubs/holly.html
Hi, I'll be moving to the outskirts of Chicago in the near future. The community that I'm moving to has strict fencing rules. My goal is to create a large bottomless planters box that goes around the perimeter of my back yard. I plan on putting American Holly in the planters box to grow as a privacy hedge to get around the fencing rules. I plan on interlocking landscaping timbers to a height of 2ft and keeping the Holly cut to 8ft, so I have a total height of 10ft. My question is: will the root structure keep the plant anchored while in the planters box at 8ft tall? Also are there any other reasons I shouldn't do this?
This could work, but I would definitely not use the American Holly. They are simply too big for this.
This article will offer more information on different cultivars of Holly:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/holly/common-types-of-holly.htm.
This article will help you to prune whichever you choose: