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Location: western Massachusetts.

A few candidates I can find: Hoogendorn holly; Rhododendron ferrugineum L.; Nerium oleander

It appeared pretty healthy last year and based on image search, it looks like Hoogendorn holly.

Plant 1 (large)

This May it flowers.

Flower 1 (large)

But unfortunately, this year the leaves are much more scarce and some of them are brown colored. Is this some kind of disease or snow damage? We have plenty of rain this Spring.

Disease 1 (large)

Roc W.
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  • I'm totally confused - the top photo does show what might be Ilex crenata; but the second and third photos are different and appear not to be the same plant - are you saying those pink flowers were on the Ilex last year? If so, its not Ilex crenata... Or are you showing two separate plants, the top one being the Ilex and the other two photos of the same plant a year apart that you believe is a Rhododendron? – Bamboo May 30 '21 at 15:39
  • All three pictures are indeed of the same plant: 1st pic taken a year ago, 3rd pic last month or so, 2nd pic yesterday. If you look at the leaves, they look pretty similar to me, except the first picture taken last year was much more leafy. – Roc W. May 30 '21 at 15:43
  • I've got the same problem with these photos as I do with all your others - they do not magnify well and its not possible to see the leaves clearly. What's confusing is you mention hoogendorn holly, which is Ilex crenata, and then a rhododendron and it can't be both. I do not think it is Rhododendron ferrugineum - that has brownish, hairy spots under the leaves, but the leaves in the second photo show no spots, as far as I can tell through the poor clarity under magnification. That does not mean it isn't a rhododendron of some sort,better images would be helpful. When did the plant die back? – Bamboo May 30 '21 at 15:49
  • Can you try the link "large" to the side of each picture? I did have to downscale the pictures to below 2MB. I know this can't be both, but it's just the better candidates image search gave me. – Roc W. May 30 '21 at 15:50
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    Aha, yes, the large one is a bit better.... its definitely not Hoogendorn holly (Ilex crenata) and I'm not convinced its a rhododendron either, the stamens in the flowers don't look right for a rhododendron. Exactly when did it die back - during winter? Did it lose all its leaves in winter? do the leaves feel a bit stiff, maybe leathery or quite soft and pliable? – Bamboo May 30 '21 at 15:58
  • The older-generation leaves felt thick and leathery but the new leaves are greener and softer. I'm not very certain, but it may have started shedding leaves even during the Fall last year. – Roc W. May 30 '21 at 16:05
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    Thick and leathery likely indicates some kind of rhododendron, possibly what used to be called an azalea type, although I'm not convinced by the flowers - the stamens usually extrude a long way, there are quite a few of them and they curl upwards at the ends and I'm not seeing that. Whatever it is, it looks like some kind of problem occurred probably starting last year - drought during summer and early autumn/fall? – Bamboo May 30 '21 at 16:16
  • Yes! Last summer was dry, but we have lots of rain this Spring. Hopefully it will recover somewhat and I'll post more pictures if the flowers/leaves further change with season. – Roc W. May 30 '21 at 16:21
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    If its rhododendron, they do not like to fully dry out - it may or may not recover I'm afraid. And a word about plant identification apps - as you've discovered, they do have their limitatiions! – Bamboo May 30 '21 at 16:23

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