While most holly cultivars require well-drained soil, winterberry holly will perform just fine in either well-drained soil or wet soil. How to Plant Holly Bushes. Sorting out the hundreds of varieties and hyb… Ilex is among the few plants that can grow in all USDA plant hardiness zones (or in all 50 U.S. states). When planted in this way, Nellie Stevens Hollies typically reach a height between 15 and 25 feet. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. A very nice evergreen shrub for most any landscape. That being said, most hollies are very tolerant of less than ideal locations and will grow well in part shade or dry or swampy soil. You'll experience this color year round making it a perfect choice for your landscaping. Twigs on Japanese holly are almost always green on the young shoots, while young twigs on yaupon holly will either be a purplish o… Though it's generally a low-maintenance shrub, you will need to prune your plant in order to keep its size under control and to promote the growth of lateral buds and shoots. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, 'Jersey Knight' (a good male pollinator to use with 'Jersey Princess'), 'Canary,' which has yellow berries instead of red ones. Theoretically they can even grow to reach the size of non-dwarf varieties. It grows in zones 6 through 9. Only subtle differences can separate these two distinct species. ... How big do butterfly bushes get? Holly bushes are notoriously difficult to remove. Can you tell me why my 20 ft holly … Make sure you choose a plant that’s the right size for your landscape — and that will thrive in your climate. Requires a male inkberry for berry set. Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Queen’ Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Queen’ is grown for its distinctive foliage – it … All holly trees and shrubs are dioecious, meaning there are distinct male and female plants. They stand out spectacularly against the … The quintessential Christmas variety, for example, is English holly, which grows best in … Carissa Holly is a very attractive mounded Chinese Holly variety with very deep dark green foliage that is very stiff. rigid, and has a very pronounced sharp spine at the very tip of each leaf. These are some of the most common and popular varieties of the holly tree, each with their unique characteristics, features and uses. A single plant of the Blue Prince Holly can pollinate up to 9 of the Blue Princess Holly planted within 400 feet. When choosing your holly bush, keep in mind a few things: Spruce up your outdoor space with products handpicked by HGTV editors. The relatively low temperatures combined with higher rainfall will make settling into the new location much less stressful for the holly bush. Holly trees are slow growing trees with a life expectancy of roughly 100 years. Late fall, early winter, or early spring are generally the best times to plant, depending on your climate and the holly variety you’ll be planting. These can get 40 to 50 feet tall, but they naturally tend to grow a little more open as they age. This dense, thorny multi-seasonal shrub is perfect for spicing up your landscaping. Some holly bushes grow to about 6 feet tall, while others can reach 50 feet and higher! The bright red berries that make holly so attractive don’t grow on the male plants of many varieties. wild Holly bushes. Holly trees and shrubs are sometimes deciduous, but more often evergreen. With more than 400 species, a holly (Ilex spp.) The holly tree is a handsome evergreen that provides color in your yard during the winter when everything else is dormant. Some of my favorite roses are antiques that have been handed down through the generations. Holly is a popular and decorative garden plant which ranges in size from 2 to 40 feet (.6 to 12.1 m). Most types bear red or orange berries. Did Elvis Presley ever meet Buddy Holly? Learn how to find, propagate and grow old, antique rose varieties to add beauty and fragrance to your garden. Its foliage turns darker green with age. How big do holly bushes get? Huge Variegated Holly Tree. Ilex aquifolium 'Ferox Argentea' reaches a moderate height of 15 feet, with a spread of 8 to 10 feet. With more than 400 species of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, hollies (Ilex spp.) Asked January 13, 2016, 9:48 AM EST. The Burford holly is a larger plant and grows 8 to 25 feet tall and spans 5 to 10 feet wide, advises North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension. 1 Response. According to the USDA Forest Service, holly berries are also eaten in winter by: The hollies with which people are most familiar are English holly (Ilex aquifolium) and American holly (Ilex opaca). It would be a shame to miss the Holly berries, as they truly complete the Holly plants display value in the landscape. Pick the right time to plant. Use a chainsaw to cut it down to a stump. American holly is a slow grower and typically matures to a height of 30 feet (but may be taller in the wild). The USDA Forest Service, establishing the northern end of American holly's range, remarks that the Pilgrims noted American holly's presence in Massachusetts when they landed in 1620. This handsome, underused shrub produces its lovely blooms in midsummer when few other shrubs are flowering. Perfect for Asian-inspired gardens, at home in the woodland setting, or as a controlled source of unique texture in formal settings. The best time for planting holly bushes is in either the spring or fall. Holly bushes do best in well-drained, moderately acidic soil, in full sun. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. Asked by libby on September 17, 2012. Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) is one of the deciduous types of this group. As broadleaf evergreens, hollies make ideal privacy screens around pools because there are no leaves or needles to clean up. are a diverse lot, American holly being just one of many types. Furthermore, holly bushes grow back even after all their branches are cut off. Get our best gardening advice and outdoor ideas delivered straight to your inbox. © 2020 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Hollies, like other plants, can make different types of leaves at the same time. Privacy Policy. Their inco… Who played Holly in The Lovely Bones? - I have a female bush that gets berries but the male bush does not. Is holly poisonous to dogs? Don’t cut too much. If They Don’t Why Not? is it fast or slow growing ? This would be about 20 or even 30 feet wide and tall! Short of digging the entire root system up and pulling up the stump, is there an easier way to get rid of a holly bush? Its prickly leaves are a dark green color. This harbinger of early spring produces buds that look like fuzzy caterpillars. This is due to their large size, striking evergreen foliage, and (especially in the case of English holly) long-time association with the winter holiday season. Ilex is among the few plants that can grow in all USDA plant hardiness zones (or in all 50 U.S. states). The plants come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from spreading dwarf shrubs 6 inches in height to trees 70 feet tall. American holly trees are native to the southeastern United States and many states along the Atlantic coast. 'Little Red' holly (Ilex x 'Little Red') is an example of a medium-sized holly plant. Some varieties of English holly plants grow quite tall, so be careful what you buy. Holly trees and shrubs are sometimes deciduous, but more often evergreen. If your winterberry hollies experience drought stress, they may not form fruit or may drop … If you’d like to plant your own holly bush, just follow these steps: 1. Plant each Nellie Stevens Holly 5 to 6 feet apart for a living wall that gives you complete privacy, no holes and no gaps. Selected for its compact habit and glistening, bright green new foliage, this dwarf female holly makes an excellent hedge or border plant. This shrubs' leaves are a glossy, dark green color with a bluish cast to them and are moderately spiny. Q. What is the variety of holly that seems to grow wild in the woods of Va., can it transplanted and trimmed to make a nice privacy hedge? Related Questions. The quintessential Christmas variety, for example, is English holly, which grows best in Zone 6. Blue Princess holly is a female cultivar of the blue holly group, and appropriately, its male pollinator counterpart is called \"Blue Prince\" holly. Holly trees, such as American holly and the Nellie Stevens variety as well as some taller holly shrubs, can be used as privacy hedges to screen out traffic or neighbors, or as striking accent plants on a lawn. Design Ideas This dwarf Chinese Holly is probably the most widely used, particularly in warmer climates. Its dark green leaves are long and grow up to 4 inches long. If you want to decorate your home with holly next Christmas, plant an extra bush or two so you don’t have to take too much from one. This evergreen produces attractive red berries and has a moderate growth rate. Are holly berries poisonous to dogs? Water daily for the first week after you plant your holly bush, then twice a week afterward until they are established. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. English holly (Ilex aquifolium) is one of the most common with its familiar glossy, dark-green spiky leaves and bright red berries used for Christmas displays. Are holly bushes poisonous to dogs? These plants are considered Meserve hybrids, developed by amateur horticulturist Kathleen Kellogg Meserve as the hardy standard holly in garden centers and nurseries everywhere. Location, location, location. All hollies prefer to grow in acidic soils, which is why in nature they do so well in oak forests. The tree grows to be 30 to 45 feet tall and creates a moderately tight, pyramidal shape. 2013, HGTV/Scripps Networks, LLC. are a diverse lot, American holly being just one of many types. 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