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Christmas Holly berries turning black?

#1 · 8th September 2025, 2:51 pm

I bought two holly trees with berries on in Dec '23 however, in Dec '24, we got no berries. We thought that maybe we weren't close enough to male trees for pollination so we bought a male last spring hoping for berries this coming Dec. However, the buds that are forming are black. They don't look too good but I'm not sure what they should look like. Do they look black to start with? They are still very small. I've included photos. Any help would be great

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#2 · 8th September 2025, 3:46 pm

Quote from Lee Garden Ninja on 8th September 2025, 3:46 pm
Hi @suee

Firstly, it's great to have you here on the forum, and what an excellent question about your holly trees! I can absolutely understand your concern about those black formations appearing in the leaf axils - it's exactly the kind of observation that shows you're really paying attention to your plants, which is brilliant.

Let me put your mind at ease straight away: what you're seeing is most likely completely normal and actually rather exciting.

Black Formations where Holly Berries Should Bee

The small black formations you're spotting in the leaf axils are almost certainly developing berry buds, and seeing them at this stage is actually perfectly normal.

Here's the thing that often surprises people - holly berry development doesn't start with obvious green berries. In the center of female holly flowers, there's initially a small, often dark formation that, if successfully pollinated, will develop into those gorgeous red berries we all associate with Christmas.

What you're observing could very well be the earliest stages of berry development. These formations typically start small and dark before gradually developing into the more recognisable green berries that eventually turn that stunning red come autumn. The fact that they're appearing in the leaf axils (where the leaves meet the stem) is exactly where you'd expect to see developing holly berries forming.

Your Pollination Strategy Was Absolutely Spot On!

I've got to say, your instinct about needing a male pollinator was bang on the money . You clearly understand how hollies work! Only female holly plants produce berries, and they absolutely will only fruit if a nearby male plant has cross-pollinated them. The general rule is one male plant for every three female holly plants in the garden, and the brilliant news is that the male and female plants don't have to be right next to each other. Bees and other pollinators can carry pollen between plants; however, it's recommended that male plants are within approximately 50 feet of the females for optimal results.

Why No Berries in 2024? The Mystery Solved

There are several perfectly logical reasons why your trees didn't produce berries last year, even with your new male addition:

Timing Issues: This is probably the biggest factor. Not all hollies bloom at exactly the same time, so if your male plant wasn't flowering at the same time as your females, fertilisation simply couldn't occur. Since you only planted the male in spring 2024, the flowering periods may not have been properly synchronised.

Plant Establishment: Like most shrubs, holly trees bloom and fruit best when they're properly established - this usually takes 2-3 years in the ground. Your newly planted male would have needed time to develop a good root system and put on new growth before it could effectively contribute to pollination.

Environmental Factors: Weather plays a huge role in holly berry production. Drought, high temperatures, late cold snaps, or even just poor weather during flowering time can all impact berry production significantly.

What Those Black Formations Most Likely Are

Rather than being any sort of disease or problem, those black formations you're seeing are most probably:

Early berry development - completely normal developing berries that start dark before becoming visible green berries

Evidence of pollination attempts - flowers that began to develop but perhaps didn't receive quite enough pollination

Natural bud development - holly trees naturally form various buds in leaf axils as part of their growth pattern

Now, I should mention that if you're still concerned about disease, there is something called Holly Tar Spot, a fungal disease that can affect both leaves and berries, characterised by black spots. However, given your setup and timing, I'm much more inclined to think you're looking at normal berry development.

Looking Ahead to 2025 - This Should Be Your Year!

Here's the really exciting bit - your setup should work absolutely brilliantly this year. With an established male tree that's been in place for a full growing season, and your female trees now three years established, you've got excellent prospects for berry production this coming autumn. So please don't worry Sue.

Holly plants typically bloom from spring to early summer, depending on your local climate, so keep an eye out for the flowering period this spring, when you should see proper pollination occurring. The timing should be much better aligned now that all your plants have settled in.

My advice is to keep monitoring those black formations over the coming weeks. If they're developing berries, you should start to see them become more obviously green and berry-like as the season progresses. If they remain consistently black and start to look diseased, then you might want to take a sample to your local extension office for proper identification - but honestly, I think you're looking at the early stages of successful berry development.

Your patience and strategic thinking about adding the male pollinator really shows you understand holly requirements well. I have a strong feeling you're going to see the fruits of your planning this coming winter, and I'd love to hear how you get on!

Keep us posted on the forum - there's nothing I love more than a good holly success story!

Happy gardening!

Lee 🌱

You might find these other forum discussions helpful:åç

Plant Problems Forum - For any other plant health concerns

First Time Gardener Questions - Perfect for building your gardening confidence

Camellia leaves turning brown? - Similar plant health troubleshooting

Where to start with an overgrown garden? - Great for general garden planning advice

Hi @suee

Firstly, it's great to have you here on the forum, and what an excellent question about your holly trees! I can absolutely understand your concern about those black formations appearing in the leaf axils - it's exactly the kind of observation that shows you're really paying attention to your plants, which is brilliant.

Let me put your mind at ease straight away: what you're seeing is most likely completely normal and actually rather exciting.

Black Formations where Holly Berries Should Bee

The small black formations you're spotting in the leaf axils are almost certainly developing berry buds, and seeing them at this stage is actually perfectly normal.

Here's the thing that often surprises people - holly berry development doesn't start with obvious green berries. In the center of female holly flowers, there's initially a small, often dark formation that, if successfully pollinated, will develop into those gorgeous red berries we all associate with Christmas.

What you're observing could very well be the earliest stages of berry development. These formations typically start small and dark before gradually developing into the more recognisable green berries that eventually turn that stunning red come autumn. The fact that they're appearing in the leaf axils (where the leaves meet the stem) is exactly where you'd expect to see developing holly berries forming.

Your Pollination Strategy Was Absolutely Spot On!

I've got to say, your instinct about needing a male pollinator was bang on the money . You clearly understand how hollies work! Only female holly plants produce berries, and they absolutely will only fruit if a nearby male plant has cross-pollinated them. The general rule is one male plant for every three female holly plants in the garden, and the brilliant news is that the male and female plants don't have to be right next to each other. Bees and other pollinators can carry pollen between plants; however, it's recommended that male plants are within approximately 50 feet of the females for optimal results.

Why No Berries in 2024? The Mystery Solved

There are several perfectly logical reasons why your trees didn't produce berries last year, even with your new male addition:

Timing Issues: This is probably the biggest factor. Not all hollies bloom at exactly the same time, so if your male plant wasn't flowering at the same time as your females, fertilisation simply couldn't occur. Since you only planted the male in spring 2024, the flowering periods may not have been properly synchronised.

Plant Establishment: Like most shrubs, holly trees bloom and fruit best when they're properly established - this usually takes 2-3 years in the ground. Your newly planted male would have needed time to develop a good root system and put on new growth before it could effectively contribute to pollination.

Environmental Factors: Weather plays a huge role in holly berry production. Drought, high temperatures, late cold snaps, or even just poor weather during flowering time can all impact berry production significantly.

What Those Black Formations Most Likely Are

Rather than being any sort of disease or problem, those black formations you're seeing are most probably:

Early berry development - completely normal developing berries that start dark before becoming visible green berries
Evidence of pollination attempts - flowers that began to develop but perhaps didn't receive quite enough pollination
Natural bud development - holly trees naturally form various buds in leaf axils as part of their growth pattern

Now, I should mention that if you're still concerned about disease, there is something called Holly Tar Spot, a fungal disease that can affect both leaves and berries, characterised by black spots. However, given your setup and timing, I'm much more inclined to think you're looking at normal berry development.

Looking Ahead to 2025 - This Should Be Your Year!

Here's the really exciting bit - your setup should work absolutely brilliantly this year. With an established male tree that's been in place for a full growing season, and your female trees now three years established, you've got excellent prospects for berry production this coming autumn. So please don't worry Sue.

Holly plants typically bloom from spring to early summer, depending on your local climate, so keep an eye out for the flowering period this spring, when you should see proper pollination occurring. The timing should be much better aligned now that all your plants have settled in.

My advice is to keep monitoring those black formations over the coming weeks. If they're developing berries, you should start to see them become more obviously green and berry-like as the season progresses. If they remain consistently black and start to look diseased, then you might want to take a sample to your local extension office for proper identification - but honestly, I think you're looking at the early stages of successful berry development.

Your patience and strategic thinking about adding the male pollinator really shows you understand holly requirements well. I have a strong feeling you're going to see the fruits of your planning this coming winter, and I'd love to hear how you get on!

Keep us posted on the forum - there's nothing I love more than a good holly success story!

Happy gardening!

Lee 🌱

You might find these other forum discussions helpful:åç

Plant Problems Forum - For any other plant health concerns
First Time Gardener Questions - Perfect for building your gardening confidence
Camellia leaves turning brown? - Similar plant health troubleshooting
Where to start with an overgrown garden? - Great for general garden planning advice

#3 · 8th September 2025, 4:18 pm

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum. My post didn't show up straight away so I re-posted it quite a few times! When these re-posts hit the forum please ignore them!

I'm so pleased to hear that the buds look OK. I'm really trying in the garden and it can be disheartening when it goes wrong. I'll await developments.