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holly tree
Billie Bilton
Posts: 123
I have a variegated holly tree grown as a standard about 5' tall. The leaves are dark green edged with yellow and until recently it has always looked very healthy. Now lots of curling yellow leaves have appeared. There are just a few ants around and a small amount of aphids. Inside some of the curled leaves are small black specs which resemble the size of butterfly eggs, though not in the usual type of formation, but, once again, not many. I have just cut off some of the affected leaves but now realise it's not just the new growth which has curling but existing leaves also. Would like some advice please on how to remedy this as the tree is a favourite of mine..
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Could it be Holly Leaf Miner? https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=175
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks for that website Dove. The one thing it doesn't mention, which first made me notice the problem, is that the tree is now a mass of bright yellow small curling leaves instead of large dark green/yellow ones.
Whatever it is, I hope it's nothing serious - I love hollies
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks for that advice Tetley and I have decided I will wait and see what transpires. I did once dig up an established holly, after having to massively prune it in order to handle it, and it gradually grew again and has restored itself to it's former glory.
Hi Tetley and many thanks for mentioning the 'holly blue' butterfly as there are several interesting and informative web sites. I thought I had solved the mystery then read that the holly blue eggs are white. I will come back to this thread as and when 'something' happens.