hollies

As we head toward the end of the year, gardeners want their landscapes to look their best. But sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, the leaves on certain evergreen plants turn yellow and unsightly!

The bright leaves of fall too soon discolor and drop, leaving bare stems. But then we discover the clusters of jewels still hidden among the plants. The ornamental fruit and berry season is upon us.

While not the most flamboyant plant in the landscape, it's hard to beat the toughness and versatility of Japanese hollies. Smaller and softer in appearance than Chinese hollies, they make an excellent substitute for overused Yaupon hollies and boxwoods. Well-suited in the formal landscape or used in mass for a more natural look, the dark green leaves of Japanese hollies provide a good background for more colorful plants.

Japanese hollies are excellent plants for the gardener who is looking for shrubs that are low maintenance, drought tolerant and relatively easy to grow.

When compared to most other popular landscape shrubs, hollies are susceptible to few plant pests. Some of the more common pests of hollies are as follows:

Spider Mites

These very small insect-like pests, often called red spiders, occasionally attack most of the hollies. The Japanese variety 'Convexa' is especially susceptible to damage by spider mites. Heavy infestations usually result in dull-colored leaves which may also have a dusty appearance. Sudden leaf drop may occur as a result of spider mite infestations.

Spittlebugs