Japanese Holly Sky Pencil - Ask Extension
Hello, I have a Japanese Holly 'Sky Pencil' that did great all throughout winter. It didn't have any winter burn or anything and then during the windy...
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Japanese Holly Sky Pencil #460111
Asked June 06, 2018, 11:47 AM EDT
Hello, I have a Japanese Holly 'Sky Pencil' that did great all throughout winter. It didn't have any winter burn or anything and then during the windy days in early spring the backside dried out, but just a few branches, so it looks half dead. There is conflicting advice online. Some websites say to cut off dead branches other say not to trim at all. some of the branches that are brown and look dead started sprouting new growth at the bottom of the branches and there are new branches growing from the middle of the plant. My question is, should I cut off the dead looking parts of the branches? Or should I wait to see if new growth sprouts even though it's already almost summer? If not should I take off the dead leaves? I'm in zone 6a.
Thank you
Thank you
Livingston County Michigan
Expert Response
Check to be sure the browned stems are dead: Scratch the brown branches and look for green tissue. If you see it, the stem
is still viable. Prune all dead stems back to healthy tissue. If they appear to be dead, there are a couple of possible causes:
1. There is a condition that Sky Pencil Holly get called dieback. It first
shows up with a few branches turning brown. If the branches are not
removed the dieback will spread to all other branches. Dieback results
in a canker somewhere along the stem. The canker blocks the flow of
nutrients to the branch. It's best to trim the entire branch off or at
least prune it off about 6" below the canker. The canker looks like a
knotted up area along the stem.
2. If you can't find a canker, check for possible root rot or fungi. If the plant is overwatered or planted too deep root rot can
set in. Root rot usually takes 2-6 months or longer to kill a plant.
The plant usually starts browning at the tips of the leaves. Inspect
leaf margins and bases for brown spots, an indication of web blight.
These spots spread rapidly into black or brown blotches that cover the
entire leaf. Dead leaves usually cling to the plant rather than fall to
the ground, and the disease spreads upward from the bottom of the plant
to the crown. Treat with a fungicide. Check to see if your new growth at the base of the plant is coming from the roots (ground) or from the brown branches? If from the branches, the limb itself still has some life. You may want to cut them back to the new growth. You could wait and see if any new leaves emerge farther up the limb (not likely).
The extreme heat and high winds we've had lately could potentially cause dessication of the leaves. If that were the case, the canes (limbs) would still be green when scratched and new leaves may appear. Or the high winds may have broken some stems? Red mites and spider mites can also be a problem.
If your Sky Pencil is healthy, it should put up new canes from the roots. A healthy plant assumes you have the right plant in the right place. This plant prefers light, moist, acidic soils with good drainage. Root rot and other problems can occur with heavy, wet soils. The website below shows some possible fungi, which are fairly easy to ID.
