On 4/16/10 9:45 AM, Kalmia wrote:
Borderline zone 9-10.

Had a week of freezing nights here in January.

Holly bush now has very sparse, curled leaves. What if anything can I
do to bring it back to its old green self?

It has never had berries, to my knowledge. Former owner planted it
but I have no idea when. It was growing very sloooooooooooooowly, by
the way.

Thanks.

There are many varieties of holly. My favorite gardening book lists 19
different species and hybrids. Just within Ilex cornuta (Chinese
holly), it lists 7 varieties. Some are much more winter-hardy than
others. Some are more tolerant of hot summers than others. Take a
branch to a good nursery (not a lumber yard or hardware store) to have
it identified.

I have several I. cornuta 'Burfordii Nana' (dwarf Burford holly), both
in front and in back. They grow vigorously and always produce abundant
berries. Our winters are relatively mild, never getting colder than the
upper 20s. Our summers can be torrid, with temperatures sometimes
reaching 110F. On the other hand, my summers are far too hot for I.
aquifolium (English holly), which is hardy down to about 10F.

Hollies are similar to asparagus, Ginkgo biloba, and ash trees in that
there are male plants and female plants. All varieties of I. cornuta
that have berries do so without cross pollination. Most other species
of holly require cross pollination from a male plant for a female to
produce berries.

Hollies require acid soil that drains well. They are susceptible to
scale and leaf miners, both of which can cause severe damage. They
respond well to heavy pruning, which is best done in the early winter.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary