By Bob Westerfield
University of Georgia
Among the most durable and versatile plants in the landscape,
hollies offer a kaleidoscope of shapes, sizes, textures and
colors. Here are a few of the best choices.
Japanese hollies (Ilex
crenata) typically have little, spineless leaves and small,
black fruit. They have dark green leaves and make good foundation
plants. Substitute them for boxwoods. Or use them in groups in
front of taller plants.
Ilex crenata ‘Helleri’ is one of the smallest, with an
attractive, spreading form. It’s low-maintenance but won’t
tolerate poor drainage. Ilex crenata ‘compacta’ has
interesting foliage and rarely grows more than 3 feet tall.
Where you need more height, try Ilex crenata ‘Hetzi’ or
Ilex crenata ‘Rotunidifolia.’ These hollies will grow 6 to
8 feet tall, so give them plenty of space.
Many more crenata holly varieties are out there, so don’t limit
yourself to this small list.
Chinese hollies are a good choice
if you like larger leaves, taller height and a heavy berry crop.
Most have large, spiny, glossy, dark green leaves. They can get
quite large, so use them as corner plantings or specimens, not as
foundation plants.
Ilex cornuta ‘Burfordi,’ Dwarf Burford or Needlepoint are
tough, reliable berry producers. They’re fairly pest-free and can
grow surprisingly fast.
Ilex cornuta ‘Rotunda’ dwarf, a heavily spined plant, is
among the shorter Chinese hollies. It’s sometimes used to block
foot traffic or animals because of its sharp spines. This holly
is so tough it’s almost bombproof.
Another small cornuta, Ilex cornuta ‘Carissa,’ grows only
3 to 4 feet tall. Its leaves aren’t the usual dark green of
Chinese hollies but a lighter olive color. It’s good as a
foundation plant.
American holly (Ilex opaca)
is the traditional Christmas holly, with large, spiny, green
leaves and bright red berries. It grows up to 50 feet tall. Among
the best-known cultivars are:
- Dan Fenton, with large, glossy leaves.
- Jersey Delight and Jersey Princess — Jersey Knight is the
male pollen source. - Merry Christmas, with glossy, deep green leaves and red
berries. - Stewart’s Silver Crown, with leaves edged in cream and marbled
with gray-green. - Yellow Berry, with bright yellow berries.
English holly (Ilex
aquifolium) is an evergreen tree with very spiny, glossy
foliage and bright red berries. Cultivars with white variegated
leaf margins are distinctive. English hollies dislike poor
drainage and low temperatures and grow slowly.
Yaupon holly (Ilex
vomitoria), an eastern U.S. native, tolerates wind and hot
climates better than most evergreen hollies. It has a purplish
tinge on new foliage, which then turns dark green. Female plants
produce small, red berries in large clusters.
Two of the best are Nana or dwarf Yaupon holly, a small,
moundlike shrub 3 to 5 feet tall and very broad; and “Pendula,” a
weeping type 15 to 20 feet tall with beautiful berries.
Possumhaw (Ilex decidua) is
a deciduous small tree 6 to 10 feet tall, with dark green, 3-inch
leaves and orange to red berries that last into winter or spring.
Inkberry (Ilex glabra) is
an evergreen shrub up to 10 feet tall, with thick, spineless
leaves and black berries. The dwarf form, Compacta, grows to 4
feet but can be sheared to make a 2-foot hedge.
Lusterleaf holly (Ilex
latifolia) is a slow-growing evergreen tree up to 30 feet
tall. Its leaves, 6 to 8 inches long, are the largest of all
hollies.
Meserve holly (Ilex
meserveae) is a 6- to 7-foot, evergreen shrub that’s very
cold-hardy.
Winterberry (Ilex
verticillata) is a deciduous shrub that, unlike most hollies,
thrives in boggy soils. It grows 6 to 10 feet tall. Its enormous
crops of bright berries last all winter.
Nellie R. Stevens is a cross
between English and Chinese hollies. A fast-growing holly with a
conical shape, dark green foliage and large, red berries, it’s an
excellent specimen tree.
(Bob Westerfield is an Extension Service horticulturist with
the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences.)
