Holly not evergreen

[Gorsty]

Hi folks

I have two holly plants - one Golden King and the other a silver variegated. I bought them a few months ago but they are still in pots as the garden isn't quite ready for them yet.

Both were looking very healthy until a few days ago when they started to drop their leaves. Some of these leaves have dark spots on the upper side and strange white growths on the underside. There are two or three growths about 1 cm long and 4 mm wide, rectangular and when you rub them they are powdery.

Have looked onthe internet but no obvious match - any ideas as to what might be the problem and more importantly, what do I do to help the hollies.

Thanks in advance

Gorsty

[Two_Sheds]

Mine on the lotty is dropping leaves too (they get stuck in my knees when I am weeding). I put it down to the prolonged drought.

Your powder sounds like powdery mildew: it affects comfrey, squashes and peas too, when the plant can't take up more water than it's losing through transpiration.

It spreads rapidly where plants are too close together

[rustylady]

I think that as they are in pots still, they have been either overwatered or underwatered.

[Gorsty]

Thanks for your thoughts - I've taken the leaves to the local garden centre.

Apparently some of their hollies have also dropped their leaves and they've put it down to the cold winter and now the heat.

The white things are called Cushion Scale and shouldn't cause leaf drop but need chemical spray to shift.

They think the hollies should survive.

[Two_Sheds]

Cushion Scale insect: Royal Horticultural Society | Advice Search | Cushion scale

[vicky]

You'll also find that evergreen plants lose their older leaves during the summer (photinias in particular drop old leaves like crazy).
The hollies round here are shedding leaves too, just make sure yours are kept well watered if they're in pots.