help!!!! In the recent snow storm the weight of the snow split my holly tree. If was quite a substancial branch that split away from the tree. What can I do to save the tree?
most likely the only thing you can do now would be to remove the broken branch and clean the wound left to help maximize sealing of the wound. if it is large you may be best suited to have a qualified plant care person look at it and perhaps do it for you.
Not to worry. Holly trees are nearly ibdestructable. Older Holly trees that have opened up can be severely pruned back and will fill in with time. Ilex crenata hedges can even be cut to the ground and it will restore to a nice hedge. We've even cut I. x attenuata 'Savannah' to the ground and then selected the most robust new stems to grow a new tree. Likewise with I. x altaclerensis 'Camelliifolia'. Both were deformed by hurricane Fran. It only took a couple of years to have a good sized 'Savannah' again. On the other hand, I. opaca 'Betty Nevison' took many years of pruning to get a full tree. On transplanting, we had to start all over again. It's just now getting to look good again.
What is your climatic zone....if it isn't sub zero weather your way, then correct the damage with a severe pruning, balance the shape , and ingore it all year...you will be amazed how resilent Ilex can be...I have yanked them out from the ground and they still survive the shock and transplaning...
Ilex aquifolium is a pest species here, quite prevalent in settled areas with some properties now having rather high numbers of seedlings. Solid thickets choking some sites are a possible future scenario, this is known in UK for example. Garden owners should start considering removal of specimens of this species in ornamental plantings.
Interesting, Ron. It's impossible to grow the variegated varieties here. The plain green ones survive nicely, but they're not a pest; more of a rarity. To each his own. On the otherhand. I. opaca is a pest here; particularly because the woodland growth catches all the diseases/bugs and passes them on to the cultivated varieties. It keeps one on their toes. Seeding all over the place is a problem too.
Same applies to Ilex aquifolium, and probably to all species of holly The damage was caused by snow, so it is below zero (or the snow would melt)
