There was a Holly shrub when I moved in to this home 38 years ago and has always looked beautiful with no problems at all. We did nothing to maintain them except for slight pruning, Japanese beetle and deer proof. Loved them! I believe it is an Holly-there are black berries on it now. I have seven starts from it and those shrubs were doing fine until now. There are sections of yellow-brown leaves dying on each of these shrubs. This has never happened before. My husband and I have never seen this happen before. Please advise and pictures attached. Thank you Tess

Hi Tess,

The photos are a help especially to see the extent of the damage.

Sudden death and browning of holly shrubs can be caused by various factors, including winter damage, fungal diseases, or environmental stress. Winter injury, such as "winter burn" or "winter kill," can lead to brown leaves and dead branches after cold snaps. Fungal diseases like tar spot and cankers can also cause browning and dieback, with tar spot appearing as small, yellow spots that turn reddish brown to black. Additionally, issues like root rot, drought, or transplant shock can contribute to browning.

We had an extremely dry summer and this is the likely cause. Please take a closer look and see if there are any insects around or if some leaves have particular discolorations like black spots. Did you notice any changes last fall?

To tell if the brown branches are dead - scratch the branches with your fingernail and look for green tissue. If you see it, the branch is still viable. If brown, then the branch is dead. Prune all dead plant material, remove the excess mulch, look for the root flare around the base of the trunk, and keep the tree well-watered during dry periods. Monitor the growth of the plant.

Give the rest of the surviving plant a good trimming, no more than1/4 of the plant. Since so much of the plant seems to be dead, it will likely take a season or two to rebound.

Drought-stressed holly trees can show symptoms such as leaf scorch, leaf drop, and twig dieback.

Drought Damage: Holly leaves often turn yellow or brown during a sudden drought period. Keep plants watered during periods of drought. Michigan State University Extension recommends watering the tree deeply and slowly once a week during drought periods. The challenge for homeowners and landscapers is deciding when a stressed tree is really a goner. It appears there is enough green left to save your holly.

Watering holly that has suffered a drought can be tricky. According to the University of Maryland Extension, watering frequency depends on the type of plant, the soil texture, whether you are caring for an established or a new plant, and local weather conditions. It is important to learn the specific water requirements of your plants, monitor local weather and soil conditions, and water accordingly. Water should soak in quickly; your plants should never sit in a puddle of water for an extended period of time. This can lead to root damage. For all trees and shrubs: Water when the soil feels dry to the touch beneath the surface. Dig into the soil with a trowel, hand shovel, or screwdriver and check your soil at a depth of about 6 inches. Soil that is moist or damp to the touch is fine. If the soil feels dry, water the plant thoroughly
Bottomline watering is very important, and there is a chance that you might see dormant buds next spring.

The above information is from the below links:
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/holly-diseases-insect-pests/

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-trees-and-shrubs

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/drought-and-excessive-heat-stress