Most people think of holiday greenery displays when they hear about
Hollies, but Hollies make great evergreen accents in the landscape
as well as beautiful additions to holiday decor.
Not all Hollies have leaves with spines on the tips and red berries.
Some have dark blue or black berries and rounded leaves. Hollies
vary in height greatly with some varieties reaching above 30 feet
while some dwarf varieties may be as small as 3 feet. It is important
to choose varieties carefully according to space requirements.
Most Chinese and English Hollies which produce berries do so only
on the female plant and require a male pollinator planted nearby
in order to produce fruit. Japanese Hollies have no such requirement.
Southern States provides the following information to help you
choose the best varieties of Hollies for your landscape. The varieties
shown are typical of stock carried in our nurseries, but specific
varieties may vary from dealer to dealer. Ask your
local Southern States dealer which varieties are available in
your area.
|
|
Ilex x meserveae 'Dragon
Lady'
Dragon Lady Meserve Hybrid Holly
This columnar shaped Holly variety works well as a foundation
hedge when pruned or as a screen. It reaches a height of 15
feet and can reach 6 feet wide. It produces large red berries
on a dense plant.
|
|
|
Ilex cornuta 'Burfodii'
Burford Chinese Holly
This variety is known for its heavy crop of bright red berries.
It is hardy to Zone 7 and usually reaches a height of 9 -
12 feet. It attracts birds and tolerates poorly drained soil
well.
|
|
|
Ilex cornuta 'Carissa'
Carissa Chinese Holly
This plant is a dwarf variety of Chinese Holly that produces
a dense plant 3 - 4 feet high. This variety is hardy to Zone
7 and is excellent as a foundation hedge. The foliage is a
medium green color and has one spine per leaf.
|
|
|
Ilex cornuta 'Needlepoint'
Needlepoint Holly
An upright growing evergreen variety with one spine on glossy
green foliage. It produces red berries. At maturity, Needlepoint
Holly can reach a size of 6 feet x 6 feet making it an excellent
variety for hedges and screens.
|
|
|
Ilex crenata 'Green Lustre'
Green Lustre Japanese Holly
Japanese Hollies are evergreens hardy to Zone 6 and have
a similar look to that of English Boxwood. They grow much
more quickly than Boxwood however. This variety is known for
its dark green shiny foliage. Japanese Hollies can reach a
height of 9 - 12 feet if not pruned back regularly. They make
excellent hedges and screens.
|
|
|
Ilex crenata 'Helleri'
Helleri Japanese Holly
This is a low growing, spreading variety of Japanese Holly
with a dwarf mounding habit spreading up to 5 feet in width,
but only reaching a maximum of 3 feet in height. It is grown
for its miniature dark green leaves. It makes an excellent
evergreen foundation planting or hedge, or as an evergreen
background for bulbs and flowering perennials. It is hardy
to Zone 6.
|
|
|
Ilex glabra 'Shamrock'
Shamrock Inkberry
An excellent evergreen hedge with a compact habit and slender
foliage, this Holly will grow in any soil and is extremely
hardy. It tolerates full sun or partial shade. The dark blue
to black berries attract birds in the fall, and the plant
is both disease and pest resistant. It can reach a height
of 6 to 8 feet growing slowly in a rounded habit. This Holly
variety is deer resistant.
|
|
|
Ilex X 'Robin'
Red Robin Holly
This is another in the Red Hybrid series introduced in the
mid 1990's by Evergreen and Flowerwood Nurseries. The "red"
comes from the tinge of the new growth. This Holly produces
lovely large dark green leaves and abundant berries. It is
cold hardy and does best when planted in full sun to partial
shade. Red Robin Holly can reach a mature size of 14 feet
high by 8 feet wide.
|
|
|
Ilex X attenuata 'Fosterii'
Foster Holly
This larger variety is excellent as a specimen tree reaching
a height of 20 feet and a width of 10 feet. It has slender
dark green foliage and produces red berries. It grows best
in a location with full sun and good drainage.
|
|
|
Ilex aquifolium x Ilex
cornuta
'Nellie R. Stevens'
Nellie R. Stevens Holly
A hybrid cross of English and Chinese Hollies, this variety
survives well in poorly drained soils. It has the classic
English look of dark green foliage with spines and bright
red berries, but is prone to fewer problems than the true
English Holly (Ilex aquifolium). It is a great Holly for planting
as a small specimen tree with its dense pyramidal form. This
variety is hardy to Zone 6.
|
|
|
Ilex X 'Oak Leaf'
Oak Leaf Holly
A new hybrid introduced in the mid 1990's as a joint venture
between Evergreen and Flowerwood Nurseries, this variety has
larger more elongated leaves that are somewhat oak leaf-shaped.
It's grows quickly with a tall pyramidal habit reaching a
mature size of 14 feet tall by 8 feet wide.
|
|
|
Ilex crenata 'Skypencil'
Skypencil Holly
This narrow columnar grower that needs good drainage and
rich moist soil. This variety of Japanese Holly will grow
in full sun to partial shade and reach a maximum height of
10 to 12 feet.
|
|
|
Ilex vomitoria 'Nana Schillings'
Dwarf Yaupon Schillings Holly
A slow growing evergreen that tolerates wet conditions well,
Dwarf Yaupon Schillings Holly reaches a maximum of 3 feet
tall by 3 to 4 feet wide. This makes it a perfect choice for
foundation plantings. It grows best in full sun. New growth
has a purplish tinge which then turns a lustrous dark green.
Dwarf Yaupon Schillings Holly is an excellent choice for planting
in coastal areas as it is tolerant of salt in the soil.
|