In September, 2007 I planted a commercially bought, 6' tall East Palatka Holly. Everything in our Flagler County yard seems to grow very well, but this one hasn't grown an inch, and hasn't changed...better OR worse. It has tons of berries, and the leaves aren't falling off. Any suggestions ???
Apparently not time for it to make new growth yet. If you know of any, what are others of the same kind in the vicinity doing?
Don't know of any nearby that have been transplanted...I'll watch it throughout the spring and hope it gets going.
I wouldn't worry. Even container-grown plants tend to spend their first year growing roots or otherwise settling into the surroundings. East Palatkas (Ilex cassine) grow pretty quickly once they get started. The species is native to moist sites, so do keep it watered.
The top growth would still come out at more or less the same time whether it was planted recently or not, unless it was having a problem. Shrubs don't turn off their tops and switch to root growth because they have been transplanted or knocked out of a pot and put in the ground. What does happen in response to having roots cut during transplanting is top growth is shorter, until the roots grow back (growing on the same schedule they would have if not damaged) enough to restore the original situation. Since there is so much tissue concentrated in the top of a large specimen, if the roots are cut at transplanting it may take some time before the top recovers well enough for the roots to resume growing as much as before. So, in that instance what actually happens is really the opposite of plants concentrating their energy into root growth. Food made by the leaves will initially be used to maintain that big top, with the roots getting the shaft until the top is back in business. Sometimes this is not achieved and the big transplant peters out.
