Holly: a popular ornamental shrub

Holly: plant description

Holly is a shrub that grows spontaneously in most areas and is known to everyone for its sharp foliage. Known as the common holly, it is an evergreen shrub or small tree belonging to the Aquifolia family.

It is native to southwestern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. In nature, this is a long-lived plant (even 200 years).

It grows an average of 15 cm per year, but is better known as a small ornamental garden shrub that is often trimmed to maintain a precise and consistent shape over time.

The Holly plant is evergreen, but has a slow replacement of permanent foliage and tends, especially where it competes with other essences for light, to bare itself at the bottom, assuming the typical coniferous appearance of large subjects.

Holly leaf structure

Holly leaves with a leathery appearance are shiny on the upper side, on the lower side they are lighter and more opaque, have whole sharp or better prickly edges, their shape is ovoid or elliptical, 5 to 10 cm long and 2 to 6 cm wide.

Holly leaves are dark green in color, but there are varieties with variegated foliage. Young leaves that grow at the bottom of the crown tend to have sharper edges.

Holly bloom

Holly flowers are small and not very attractive from an aesthetic point of view, usually white or tinged with red. Flowering occurs in late spring and early summer, insects are responsible for pollination.

How to get colored holly berries

Plants have a separate gender, so to get colored berries, you need to buy a female plant: do this between February and October when red berries are visible. Also consider the size and shape of the foliage and leaves, which should be large, numerous, dense and shiny.

The vegetation must be compact. These are all characteristics of healthy, well-nourished plants that can take root successfully.

This species is dioecious, which means that if you want to get berries, you must also grow a male for every 10-12 female plants. However, this is not the rule, as there are some self-pollinating varieties.

Holly growth period

The Holly shrub is of medium-slow growth, which means that the plants reach an average of 150 cm after three years of cultivation, and 7 years after planting they reach approximately 3 meters.

Alone, in a hedge or in trimmed branches, holly can find a place in all gardens, even the smallest. It gets along easily, and has a very high resistance to cold.

Holly: planting a bush

We can find holly in all regions, as the holly does not have great requirements: it has good adaptability to the ground.

The only thing to avoid is limestone soil. The most suitable is loose, well-drained and rich in humus. Prefers sun or partial shade, but can adapt to all types of climate.

When to plant holly

It is best to plant holly in the fall to aid rooting.
If you are planting in the spring, make sure the frost is over and schedule more regular watering in the first year after planting.
Holly is tolerant of the sun, but prefers the shade of trees and forests.

He likes a certain moisture and freshness in the soil. Regular watering in the spring and summer is important in the first year after planting.
If you want to plant your holly out in the sun, go for variegated foliage varieties.

The best time to prune holly is at the end of winter.Use gloves because the needles can hurt you.
Try not to put compost on the holly because the leaves are very tough and it will take a long time to compost.

Holly grows well in pots, provided that they are of sufficient size and if you are willing to transplant with partial soil renewal at least every three years

Why is holly grown?

The common holly is very famous for its spicy leaves, it is both original and decorative with fruits of different colors, depending on the species. In autumn, small berries appear that will remain on the bushes throughout the winter and will especially delight the birds.

It is this feature that makes it a very ornamental shrub in winter. Holly berries are toxic to humans.

Holly can offer many varieties, more decorative than others, with a variety of foliage, flowers and fruits.

Variety of holly species

Depending on the variety, the foliage of the holly can be more or less prickly with green leaves, golden, silver or variegated with white or yellow. In addition to their very attractive foliage.

• Ilex aquifolium: This is the common holly, the most common. There are different colors of leaves and berries, from yellow to red and orange.
• Holly altaclerensis Golden King: it is a very resistant variety of holly, relatively spiny and rather fast growing. Its leaves are edged in yellow.
• Holly crenate : it is a holly without a thorn. It offers black berries and is ideal for creating a resilient hedge.
• Ilex latifolia: It grows in Japan and China in deciduous forests. Its berries are dark red and the leaves are interesting for their large size and shiny side.