Question
Hi!  I live in NC and my Holly bushes have a powdery white looking coating on the leaves.  What shoul I do to get rid of this?

Answer
Rachel:

This may be powdery mildew, a very common and mostly cosmetic disease on many ornamental plants.  It resembles "white fuzzy patches" or a sprinkle of baby powder.  It can usually be wiped off with a finger.  Try using your computer and check out images on "Google Images" to see if this matches.  If so, it is best dealt with in the spring.  There are several sprays that can be used.  But first, need to get a positive identification.  You can also snip off a few leaves and carry by your local nursery/garden center to have someone look at.  If this plant normally drops its leaves during the winter, then it is helpful to rake up these leaves before spring.  These leaves are important sources for the disease in the spring.

Steve