My inkberry leaves are turning brown and are spotty - Ask Extension
Hello, I believe last year I posted a question about these inkberry hollies but I can't find it. Last year I moved these inkberries and I believe ...
Knowledgebase
My inkberry leaves are turning brown and are spotty #865056
Asked April 19, 2024, 6:34 AM EDT
Hello,
I believe last year I posted a question about these inkberry hollies but I can't find it. Last year I moved these inkberries and I believe I overwatered them. Their leaves, then began to turn black in parts. In March I elevated them in an effort to make sure they were not sitting too low in the ground and amended the soil. The leaves are turning black and brown again. I am not sure what might be the issue. I do not see and evidence of bugs on them and I am not sure if I see evidence of a fungus. Any thoughts on what might be the issue? They are in an area which gets both sun and shade.
Thank you,
Charles in Rockville.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Hello Charles,
The pictured symptoms do not look concerning. It's typical for older leaves, which evergreens will be shedding in spring, to become a bit spotted by degradation (since they are about to fall off) or minor leaf spot infections that do not threaten the rest of the plant. While Inkberry does sometimes contract a root rot or web blight infection that kills entire branches, we do not see any evidence of that in the photos (it would be an unmistakable dieback pattern, having completely black-brown leaves on the whole stem). Based on what we see, no intervention should be needed for now.
Miri
The pictured symptoms do not look concerning. It's typical for older leaves, which evergreens will be shedding in spring, to become a bit spotted by degradation (since they are about to fall off) or minor leaf spot infections that do not threaten the rest of the plant. While Inkberry does sometimes contract a root rot or web blight infection that kills entire branches, we do not see any evidence of that in the photos (it would be an unmistakable dieback pattern, having completely black-brown leaves on the whole stem). Based on what we see, no intervention should be needed for now.
Miri
