Holly Scale Infestation: Oil or Systemic Insecticide

Holly leaves have white powdery underside, yellow/brown spots on top. Photos show scale insects on leaf undersides.

Treatment Options

Horticultural oil (smothers scales) – avoid spraying above 85°F to prevent leaf burn.
Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control (imidacloprid) – soil drench, systemic, long-lasting. Expensive but effective. Follow label.

Consult garden center for product selection and timing.

Plant Diseases: China Girl Holly: Cottony Camellia Scale and Sooty Mold; Rows of Holes in Holly Trunk: Sapsucker Woodpecker Damage and Management; Identifying and Treating Powdery Mildew on Holly Trees; Black Sooty Mold on Holly: Control the Sucking Insects First; Holly Yellow Leaves: Check for Scale Insects; Powdery Mildew on Holly: Fungicide Options and Application Timing; Leaf-Eating Insects: Aphids, Beetles, and Millions More; Pecan Phylloxera: Brown Leaf Blisters Caused by Gall-Forming Insects; Holly Leafminer vs. Leaf Spot: Diagnosis and Treatment; Holly Scale Infestation: Identification and Treatment Plan

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