I have an idea of what's sucking the life out of my ilex... upon attempting to do a full repot, I found what (to my newbie eyes) appears to be the culprit! Seemingly a fungus of sorts that grows on the trunk below-ground. It grows in spots, typically in a long band, and is tan-colored.
Too bad I don't have a proper fungicide. Also too bad because the grower who brought up this little tree before me buried a good deal of decent-looking trunk below ground. D:
Will have pictures up in a few minutes. In the meantime, tell me of anything that I might find around my house that could serve as a makeshift fungicide!
EDIT: Guh... camera does NOT want to agree with me, today. It refuses to focus for closeups... wish I had a more expensive camera...