Hi, I'm new here and hope someone can help me save my skimmias. I live in Zone 8b (I think) - Hoquiam, WA, very near the Pacific Coast.

I purchased both a male and a female dwarf skimmia last December. They live in pots on my north facing apt. balcony.

They were doing great, putting out new growth, flowering and berrying up beautifully through the spring and into early summer.

THEN (I don't remember when this started) they started dropping leaves, the leaves have tiny black spots on the surface (I can't see any pests on or around the plants), they've lost their gorgeous evergreen color.

I don't think I under or overwatered them. They are in full shade. We did have a hot dry summer this year.

What can I do???