Holly Fern problems

United States

I have a decent section of holly ferns in our garden. I noticed the leaves beginning to turn off-greenish yellow (slightly) and on the back of the leaves loads of small reddish brown circular egg looking things. When I peel them back off the leaf nothing opens. Do I treat these? what are they possibly? How do I get rid of them and restore these ferns?

On plant Holly Fern

11 May, 2008

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Answers

Owdboggy

They sound like the spore cups which ferns produce for reproduction. I do not know where you are but our Holly fern is beginning to produce new fronds from tjhe base and I remove the older ones as a new one appears.

11 May, 2008

Sid

Owdboggy is right - ferns do not produce 'seed' in the same way as other plants. They produce spores from pores on the undersides of the leaves and that is what you can see.

11 May, 2008

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