Maybe someone out there can help me with a curious problem I am having
with my Yaupon Holly. About a week ago all the leaves started turning
dark greenish brown. I checked all possible infestation and moisture
problems but everything seemed to be normal. As of today the leaves have
all become brittle and are falling off at the slightest touch. I trimmed
a small branch to make sure the wood is healthy and the underlying tissue
is a healthy green. The tree is rather large and established about 18"
tall with 2" thick trunk. Anyone have any ideas??

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

In a message dated 9/16/2004 11:29:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

Maybe someone out there can help me with a curious problem I am having
with my Yaupon Holly. About a week ago all the leaves started turning
dark greenish brown. I checked all possible infestation and moisture
problems but everything seemed to be normal.

I have had the same thing happen to my Ilex vomitoria "Schillings" and it
came back. I suspected a cat but I think someone on the list identified a
fungus. Be sure you get all the dead leaves off the plant and soil ASAP to prevent
reinfestation if I am right about the fungus.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Daren, I've had the same problem. It also occurs in the landscaping
plantings around here. In landscape work, they just remove it and re-plant
since it only seems to happen 2-3% of the time and doesn't seem to spread.
This is NOT an acceptable answer when you're put all the work into bonsai.
I've lost two, one collected and one Schillings (and maybe one that I've put
down as caused by collection stress). I've asked around and no one seems to
have any idea as to why this happens (or even cares, "just re-plant"). I've
previously posted here that this plant has good possibilities for bonsai but
does have this quirk. I've tried to prune hard below the dieback but I've
not been successful to date.

My best guess (and it's just that, a guess. No one will check; "just
re-plant") is a root related fungus. I'm trying liquid copper as a
treatment, but haven't been doing it long enough to have any confidence in
the results. Your e-mail doesn't indicate a location, but I assume S.E.
U.S. You may have enough time to try a total re-pot with a root treatment.

Since you are the first one I've run across who is concerned about this
problem, keep me informed about your progress. Maybe we can lick this.

Jay Beckenbach - Melrose, FL - Zone 8b/9a -


-----Original Message-----
From: Daren Byrd ]

Maybe someone out there can help me with a curious problem I am having
with my Yaupon Holly. About a week ago all the leaves started turning
dark greenish brown. I checked all possible infestation and moisture
problems but everything seemed to be normal. As of today the leaves have
all become brittle and are falling off at the slightest touch. I trimmed
a small branch to make sure the wood is healthy and the underlying tissue
is a healthy green. The tree is rather large and established about 18"
tall with 2" thick trunk. Anyone have any ideas??

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

My best guess (and it's just that, a guess. No one will check; "just
re-plant") is a root related fungus. I'm trying liquid copper as a
treatment, but haven't been doing it long enough to have any confidence in
the results. Your e-mail doesn't indicate a location, but I assume S.E.
U.S. You may have enough time to try a total re-pot with a root treatment.

Since you are the first one I've run across who is concerned about this
problem, keep me informed about your progress. Maybe we can lick this.

Yes. Root rot. Don't bother trying to treat root rot. There
isn't one.

Your soil probably is too heavy and contains too many organics.
In "nature" Yaupon holly grows in almost sterile, fine sandy
soil. It often grows where the soil floods periodically, but it
then drains quickly and becomes dry again in a day or two.

It's hard to keep the right balance in a bonsai pot. I've lost
some nice ones. I'm growing mine in 100% Turface (Mule Mix)
now, and that seems to be doing OK, though one I'm growing as a
saikei in a very flat, shallow pot still seems to stay too wet.
The tree is doing OK, though.

So, very fast-draining soil and don't overwater. See if that
works.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

My best guess (and it's just that, a guess. No one will check; "just
re-plant") is a root related fungus. I'm trying liquid copper as a
treatment, but haven't been doing it long enough to have any confidence in
the results. Your e-mail doesn't indicate a location, but I assume S.E.
U.S. You may have enough time to try a total re-pot with a root treatment.

Since you are the first one I've run across who is concerned about this
problem, keep me informed about your progress. Maybe we can lick this.

Yes. Root rot. Don't bother trying to treat root rot. There
isn't one.

Your soil probably is too heavy and contains too many organics.
In "nature" Yaupon holly grows in almost sterile, fine sandy
soil. It often grows where the soil floods periodically, but it
then drains quickly and becomes dry again in a day or two.

It's hard to keep the right balance in a bonsai pot. I've lost
some nice ones. I'm growing mine in 100% Turface (Mule Mix)
now, and that seems to be doing OK, though one I'm growing as a
saikei in a very flat, shallow pot still seems to stay too wet.
The tree is doing OK, though.

So, very fast-draining soil and don't overwater. See if that
works.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

(Daren Byrd) wrote in message . COM...
Maybe someone out there can help me with a curious problem I am having
with my Yaupon Holly. About a week ago all the leaves started turning
dark greenish brown.

You don't say where you are. In England, they are having an outbreak
of Phytophthora ilicis, which, as its name suggests, attacks holly.
It kills roots, and this leads to defoliation. The fungus has also
been reported in the Western US, but only on English holly.

In the US as a whole, Thielaviopsis root rot is a common problem on
holly. As with all root rots, the key symptom is the one-sidedness of
symptoms. And as with all root rots, there's not much you can do. On
Long Island, we recommend you "remove and replace" (I wink at Jay).
If this is a bonsai and was planted in a soil-less mix, it is unlikely
to have gotten thielaviopsis, although fungus gnats *are* thought to
transport it.

You should check the roots (if it is a bonsai). Bonsai or yard tree,
this is an easy disease for Cooperative Extension agents to diagnose-
the fungus is really pretty, and everyone sees it in mycology 101.
Just make sure you take a root sample, not a leaf sample.

Nina.

GOOD NEWS!! -
This morning I noticed leaves budding on several of the branch tips.....
Any Ideas as to what this condition could have been?

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

GOOD NEWS!! -
This morning I noticed leaves budding on several of the branch tips.....
Any Ideas as to what this condition could have been?

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Daren: Are you in autumn or spring where you live?

Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org


-----Original Message-----
From: Daren Byrd

GOOD NEWS!! -
This morning I noticed leaves budding on several of the branch
tips.....
Any Ideas as to what this condition could have been?

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

In a message dated 10/29/2004 9:51:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

GOOD NEWS!! -
This morning I noticed leaves budding on several of the branch tips.....
Any Ideas as to what this condition could have been?

My Ilex vomitoria "Schillings" will get a leaf miner that will defoliate the
plant. So far it has always come back.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

In a message dated 10/29/2004 9:51:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

GOOD NEWS!! -
This morning I noticed leaves budding on several of the branch tips.....
Any Ideas as to what this condition could have been?

My Ilex vomitoria "Schillings" will get a leaf miner that will defoliate the
plant. So far it has always come back.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++