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Sapsucker Damage or Canker on Holly in Poorly Drained Acid Soil

Two Diagnoses for Grid-Like Bark Damage

Holly in S. Illinois (acid, poorly drained): sudden branch death, yellow→brown leaves. Distinct grid of bare bark spots up trunk from 4 ft, bark peeling on branches.

Possibility 1: Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Woodpecker drills straight-line holes for sap/insects. Girdles cambium, causes bark peeling.

Possibility 2: Cambial Canker

Fungal infection in weakened tree (poor drainage).

Action Plan

Fertilize spring and fall for vigor.
Watch for leafminer/scale—treat immediately.
Improve drainage: limit water, amend soil.
Acidity is good—hollies love it.

Shrubs: Borer Infestation in Holly: Bark Stripping, Pruning, and Insecticide Treatment; Ash Tree Basal Decay: Irreversible Heartwood Rot on West Side; Locust Tree Bark Splitting and Dead Branches: Heat, Drought, and Proper Pruning; Assessing Elm Bark Flaking After Vine Removal; Rows of Holes in Holly Trunk: Sapsucker Woodpecker Damage and Management; Sapsucker Damage on a Young Tree: What to Do; Fire-Damaged Century-Old Holly: Assessment and Recovery Care; Why Girdling a Tree Branch Kills It; Tree Bark Damage from Animals: Assessment and Recovery; Neighbor's Holly Tree with Yellow Leaves: Assessing Health and Boundary Issues

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