Hollies

There are many species of Hollies, grown for their attractive leaves, showy fruits, and pleasing shapes. The following is a list of some of the more popular varieties.

	Female Hollies	Male Pollinator	Landscape Uses	Height/ Width	Berry Color
English Varieties & Hybrids (Ilex Aquifolium)	Sparkler Variegated English	Male Balkans Male Balkans	Upright Foundation, Specimen Foundation, Specimen	12’ Tall 3-4’ Wide 8-10’ Tall 3-4’ Wide	Red Red
Aquipernyl Holly (Ilex Aquipernyi)	San Jose	Male Aquipernyi	Upright Narrow Foundation	15-20’ Tall 3-4’ Wide	Red
Chinese Holly & Hybrids (Ilex Cortuna)	* Nellie Stevens    Dr. Kassab    Dazzler * Dwarf Burford    Carissa	China Boy China Boy China Boy China Boy None Needed	Pyramidal Specimen Pyramidal Specimen Upright Foundation Upright Foundation Low Foundation Hedge	15-20’ Tall 10-15’ Wide 15-20’ Tall 10-15’ Wide 5-6’ Tall 3-4’ Wide 5-6’ Tall & Wide 3-4’ Tall & Wide	Red Red Red Red Non-Fruiting
Japanese Hollies (Ilex Crenata)	Upright Schwoebel Chesapeake Hetzi Compacta Green Lustre Green Dragon Hoogendorn Helleri Compact Schwoebel	None Needed None Needed None Needed None Needed None Needed None Needed None Needed None Needed None Needed	Screen/Upright Hedge Screen/Upright Hedge Foundation/Hedge Foundation/Hedge Foundation/Hedge Container Specimen Low Foundation Low Foundation Low Foundation	6-8’ Tall 3-4’ Wide 6-7’ Tall 4-5’ Wide 3-4’ Tall & Wide 4-6’ Tall & Wide 3’ Tall 2’ Wide 2-3’ Tall 3-4’ Wide 2-3’ Tall 3-4’ Wide 2’ Tall 3’ Wide	Black Black Black Black Black Black Inconspicuous Black Inconspicuous Black Inconspicuous Black Inconspicuous
Inkberry Holly (Ilex Glabra)	• Inkberry	None Needed	Foundation/Hedge	3-5’ tall & Wide	Black
American Varieties & Hybrids (Ilex Opaca)	Greenleaf Fosters Wyetta	Male Foster Male Foster Male Foster	Pyramidal Specimen Narrow Pyramidal Foundation/Specimen Pyramidal Specimen	30’ Tall & Wide 20-30’ Tall 8-10’ Wide 15-20’ Tall & Wide	Red Red Red
Winterberry (Ilex Verticillata)	•     Sparkleberry •     Winter Red • p Winterberry	Male Winterberry Male Winterberry Male Winterberry	Shrub Border Shrub Border Shrub Border	9’ Tall 5-6’ Wide 8’ Tall 10’ Wide 6-10’ Tall & Wide	Red Red Red

Key:

* These Hollies will set berries without male pollinator, but berries will be heavier and more reliable with a male.  Male pollinating hollies are without berries.

• Tolerates moist to wet soils.

p Noticeable fall color.

Some varieties are stocked on a regular basis –

other varieties may be special ordered.

 

Where to Plant:

Hollies in general prefer well drained, slightly acid soil. They will grow well in either sun or part shade.

Hollies should be protected from drying winter winds.

There are hollies for most situations - lnkberry and Winterberry hollies will tolerate wet, poorly drained soil.

Japanese Holly will grow with more shade than most but is very sensitive to poor drainage.

 

Planting:

Hollies may be planted any time of year, best times are Spring, Summer, & Fall. To ensure good drainage, hollies should be planted high, with ‘A of the rootball above existing ground level, in a hole at least twice as wide as the roothall.

Hollies like a loose peaty soil. A mix of equal parts of peat moss, coarse sand, and the soil from the planting hole is good.

Once the plant is set in the planting hole with 14 of the rootball higher than the surrounding soil, fill in around it with the planting mix, packing firmly to eliminate air pockets. Mound soil up to top of rootball. Water thoroughly with diluted Upstart Root Stimulator to encourage root growth. Mulch 2-3 inches deep over planting hole, with mulch pulled away from plant stem.

 

Watering - 1st Season in Ground:

Spring and summer plantings should be watered 2-3 times per week until fall, then once a week until Christmas. Plants may need to be watered as often as once a day if they are small or the weather is hot.

Always check the soils moisture level before watering. It should be lightly moist several inches down.

Following years you will need to water your hollies about once a week when we do not get a good soaking rain that week. Plants will need more water in hot summer and while in flower, and less in fall and winter.

 

Mulching and Pruning:

A 2” deep mulch should be maintained at all times over the root area of the plant. This keeps the soil cool and moist, helps control weeds and protects roots in winter.

Most hollies are very adaptable to pruning; pruning can be done anytime after new growth hardens off in

Spring through mid August, Don’t prune in early fall or new growth may be too tender to survive hard frost.

Many people like to take clippings at Christmas and this is a good time if the pruning is not extreme.

American holly is best pruned during the winter since the berries occur on the current year’s growth.

 

Winter Care and Ensuring Berries:

Apply several extra inches of loose mulch around base of plant after ground freezes to protect roots. In spring this should be removed in stages as weather warms. Plants continue to use water - don’t forget to water during warm spells.

Plants that are exposed to wind or strong sun need extra protection. Burlap screens erected around plants will protect them from wind. Never cover plants with plastic. Wiltproof sprayed over the foliage will help protect your plants from drying winds.

If you are growing hollies for their ornamental berries you will need to ensure that there are appropriate male pollinators for the female berries. Males can be planted anywhere within 14 mile of females for excellent berry sets. A proportion of one male holly to 6-10 compatible females is good.

 

Fertilizing:

Spring and tall with Hollytone per directions on bag.

 

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