Holly diseases?

I have a holly tree which grew from seed (so I guess it is in the right place..) and is now nearly ten feet tall. It is female and produce hundreds of berries. I have three others also from seed and they are all healthy.
This one has quite a few yellow leaves with some spots and some leaves which are dark brownish/black. The tree looks a bit thin due to leaves dropping off. It is growing OK and there are new shoots but it is not as vigorous as the others.
I have tried using Bordeaux mixture and also a multi-disease solution but there is no visible effect. It has been doing this for about three years. I have searched everywhere for an explanation and had very helpful clues like 'well I quite like trees with very few leaves' or 'rake up the fallen leaves..'

Any ideas or concrete actions I should take?

Thanks for any help

 

Yes a picture or two would help as would your location in the world.
Raking up the fallen leaves is not a bad idea; can help with the spread/transmission of disease.

 

@sceh
One possibility could be Holly leaf blight, see Holly leaf blight / RHS
apart from this Ilex are pretty disease free see Ilex aquifolium | common holly Trees/RHS
See if the pictures look like your leaves. If it is this, there is no spray available to the home gardener.

 

There have been some queries on another forum about Holly losing leaves this year. No convincing reson offered so far. Mine is thriving despite it being just a few feet from a huge Ash tree.

 

Holly are considered to be evergreen, however even evergreen trees leaves do not live for ever.
We used to have holly in our old garden and it was perfectly normal to find yellow fallen leaves on the ground undernearth.
Maybe last years dry summer has made leaf fall worse than normal.
It could be expending more energy than the others to produce lots of berries.
I would not be concerned about it.

 

I think the RHS advice is a bit out of date.
Copper-based fungicides can successfully treat blight and seem to be widely available again.
They were banned, but seem to have re-appeared.

As a kid my dad used to make Bordeaux Mixture to treat fungal diseases.
Recipes can be found on the web and ingredients are widely available.

I asked Google and it said -

AI Overview
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Yes, Bordeaux mixture can be effective in treating Phytophthora ilicis (Holly leaf blight), a fungal disease. Bordeaux mixture, a mixture of copper sulfate and lime, is a well-established fungicide that can help prevent and control the spread of various fungal diseases, including those caused by Phytophthora.
Here's why Bordeaux mixture can be effective against Phytophthora ilicis:

• Fungicidal Action:
  The copper in Bordeaux mixture acts as a fungicide, inhibiting the growth and reproduction of fungal spores, including those of Phytophthora.
• Preventive Measure:
  Bordeaux mixture is often used as a preventative measure, applied to plants before signs of disease appear. This helps to create a protective barrier against infection.
• Broad Spectrum Activity:
  Bordeaux mixture is effective against a wide range of fungal diseases, including those caused by Phytophthora, making it a versatile choice for controlling plant diseases.
• Historical Use:
  Bordeaux mixture has been used for over a century to control fungal diseases, including those caused by Phytophthora.

However, it's important to note that Bordeaux mixture is not a cure-all and may not be effective in all situations. The best approach to managing Phytophthora ilicis involves a combination of preventive measures, such as proper drainage and sanitation, as well as the use of fungicides like Bordeaux mixture when necessary.

If you can show us some photos of the problem, that may help us give a more definitive answer.

 

The tree is about ten years old, self seeded.
Plenty of flowers and berries

 

I have treated with Bordeaux mixture and one of these products now forbidden to amateurs (myclobutanil - a fungicide) and given a decent dose of fertiliser

 

The leaf picture looks like some of the leaf blight pictures on the RHS site and elsewhere.
Bordeaux mixture is not a systemic fungicide and I don't know if myclobutanil is systemic, but once the Phytophora has entered the plant unless the treatment is systemic then it won't do much.
Bordeaux mixture will work against mildews and probably protect against blight if applied before infection.

 

Seems so:

Myclobutanil is a broad-spectrum triazole fungicide in the conazole class of fungicides which is a systemic fungicide used for control of Ascomycetes, Fungi Imperfecti, and Basidiomycetes in a wide variety of crops including table grapes. It is also used as a food additive and wood preservative

However, it won't act instantly

 

Systemic fungicides are generally forbidden now but freely available in Belgium (aka the seat of the EU which forbids systemics..) :-)

 

If you can get hold of a fungicide containing metalaxyl you could try that.
Would you by any chance be living in Belgium?
Maybe also having a professional interest in plant protection.

 

No, france and I can(t get these things here so I order from Belgium