Ilex
- Phonetic Spelling
- EYE-leks
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Holly is a genus of 564 species and numerous cultivars of perennial shrubs and trees in the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). Hollies are found in temperate and tropical forests on every continent (except Antarctica). As many as 14 species are native to North Carolina. The genus name is derived from the Classical Greek name for hollies.
Hollies thrive in full sun to partial shade in acidic, well-drained soil, although they tolerate a wide range of soil types, from moist to dry, including clay. Hollies tolerate drought, shade, air pollution, poor soils, and are easy to transplant. Most of the deciduous species and hybrids will not thrive in areas with high heat and humidity (USDA zones 8 and 9). The tropical species are not frost hardy.
Hollies are dioecious, meaning that only one sex is found on any one plant, thus both male and female plants must be grown if fruits are desired. Holly flowers are pollinated by bees and some make excellent honey plants.
There are many species and cultivars of holly available in the trade. Larger species are suitable for specimens, accents, specimens and screens. The spiny species are useful as security barriers. Smaller species and cultivars are suitable for hedges and borders, accents, and even ground cover. Use hollies in Asian, children’s, English, cottage, or winter gardens. The native species are ideal for native gardens, where birds can feast on the fruit.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Spider mites and nematodes are occasional pests. Alkaline soils will cause the leaves to yellow.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Apollo'
12 ft. male - 'Bonfire'
10 ft., red berries in large clusters
'Carolina Cardinal'
- 'Sparkleberry'
Upright, persistent scarlet berries
'Whoa Nellie'
Compact, crimson berries, a JC Raulston Arboretum Selection 'Carolina Sentinel'
Compact deciduous shrub 'Cherry Bomb'
Small, rounded, evergreen shrub. Christmas Jewel® 'HL10-90'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. 'Emily Bruner'
Evergreen tree or shrub. Ilex amelanchier
Native, deciduous species. Ilex aquifolium
European, evergreen species Ilex cassine
Native, evergreen species. Ilex chinensis
Asian, evergreen species. Ilex coriacea
Native evergreen shrub. Black fruits. Ilex cornuta
Asian, evergreen species. Many cultivars. Ilex crenata
Asian, evergreen shrub with small leaves. Many cultivars. Ilex decidua
Native, deciduous species. Ilex glabra
Native evergreen shrub. Black fruits. Ilex latifolia
Asian, evergreen species. Ilex montana
Native, deciduous species. Ilex myrtifolia
Native, evergreen tree. Ilex opaca
Native evergreen tree or shrub. Ilex pedunculosa
Asian, evergreen species. Ilex pernyi
Asian, evergreen species. Ilex verticillata
Native, deciduous species. Ilex vomitoria
Native evergreen small tree or shrub. Many cultivars. Ilex x aquiperni
A hybrid with a dense, pyramidal form. Evergreen. Ilex x attenuata
Native natural hybrid. Evergreen. Many cultivars. Ilex x koehneana
A hybrid with a dense, pyramidal form. Ilex x mesereae
A hybrid shrub with a dense rounded form. Evergreen. 'Mary Nell'
Evergreen tree or shrub. 'Nellie R. Stevens'
Popular evergreen tree. Oakland™ 'Magland'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. Oakleaf™ 'Conaf'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. 'Scepter'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. Sharum's Shamrock™ 'EN2'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen.
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. - 'Apollo'
- 'Apollo', 'Bonfire', 'Carolina Cardinal', 'Carolina Sentinel', 'Cherry Bomb', Christmas Jewel® 'HL10-90', 'Emily Bruner', Ilex amelanchier, Ilex aquifolium, Ilex cassine, Ilex chinensis, Ilex coriacea, Ilex cornuta, Ilex crenata, Ilex decidua, Ilex glabra, Ilex latifolia, Ilex montana, Ilex myrtifolia, Ilex opaca, Ilex pedunculosa, Ilex pernyi, Ilex verticillata, Ilex vomitoria, Ilex x aquiperni, Ilex x attenuata, Ilex x koehneana, Ilex x mesereae, 'Mary Nell', 'Nellie R. Stevens', Oakland™ 'Magland', Oakleaf™ 'Conaf', 'Scepter', Sharum's Shamrock™ 'EN2', 'Sparkleberry', 'Whoa Nellie'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Apollo'
12 ft. male - 'Bonfire'
10 ft., red berries in large clusters
'Carolina Cardinal'
- 'Sparkleberry'
Upright, persistent scarlet berries
'Whoa Nellie'
Compact, crimson berries, a JC Raulston Arboretum Selection 'Carolina Sentinel'
Compact deciduous shrub 'Cherry Bomb'
Small, rounded, evergreen shrub. Christmas Jewel® 'HL10-90'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. 'Emily Bruner'
Evergreen tree or shrub. Ilex amelanchier
Native, deciduous species. Ilex aquifolium
European, evergreen species Ilex cassine
Native, evergreen species. Ilex chinensis
Asian, evergreen species. Ilex coriacea
Native evergreen shrub. Black fruits. Ilex cornuta
Asian, evergreen species. Many cultivars. Ilex crenata
Asian, evergreen shrub with small leaves. Many cultivars. Ilex decidua
Native, deciduous species. Ilex glabra
Native evergreen shrub. Black fruits. Ilex latifolia
Asian, evergreen species. Ilex montana
Native, deciduous species. Ilex myrtifolia
Native, evergreen tree. Ilex opaca
Native evergreen tree or shrub. Ilex pedunculosa
Asian, evergreen species. Ilex pernyi
Asian, evergreen species. Ilex verticillata
Native, deciduous species. Ilex vomitoria
Native evergreen small tree or shrub. Many cultivars. Ilex x aquiperni
A hybrid with a dense, pyramidal form. Evergreen. Ilex x attenuata
Native natural hybrid. Evergreen. Many cultivars. Ilex x koehneana
A hybrid with a dense, pyramidal form. Ilex x mesereae
A hybrid shrub with a dense rounded form. Evergreen. 'Mary Nell'
Evergreen tree or shrub. 'Nellie R. Stevens'
Popular evergreen tree. Oakland™ 'Magland'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. Oakleaf™ 'Conaf'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. 'Scepter'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. Sharum's Shamrock™ 'EN2'
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen.
Dense, upright, pyramidal tree or shrub. Evergreen. - 'Apollo'
- 'Apollo', 'Bonfire', 'Carolina Cardinal', 'Carolina Sentinel', 'Cherry Bomb', Christmas Jewel® 'HL10-90', 'Emily Bruner', Ilex amelanchier, Ilex aquifolium, Ilex cassine, Ilex chinensis, Ilex coriacea, Ilex cornuta, Ilex crenata, Ilex decidua, Ilex glabra, Ilex latifolia, Ilex montana, Ilex myrtifolia, Ilex opaca, Ilex pedunculosa, Ilex pernyi, Ilex verticillata, Ilex vomitoria, Ilex x aquiperni, Ilex x attenuata, Ilex x koehneana, Ilex x mesereae, 'Mary Nell', 'Nellie R. Stevens', Oakland™ 'Magland', Oakleaf™ 'Conaf', 'Scepter', Sharum's Shamrock™ 'EN2', 'Sparkleberry', 'Whoa Nellie'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ilex
- Family:
- Aquifoliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- World-wide.
- Distribution:
- Throughout eastern United States.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Small fragrant flowers attract bees and fruits are enjoyed by birds. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.
- Play Value:
- Textural
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Wind Break
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- deer
- Edibility:
- Use caution. Human ingestion of berries can cause minor toxic reaction.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Spines
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Globose, berry-like fruit on pollinated female plants from fall to spring that are 1/4 inch long. Fruits may be hidden by the foliage. Some species are prolific fruit producers.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small (1/4 inch), dull greenish to white flowers in spring that form in clusters of 1 to 3. Some are fragrant. Pistillate flowers are in cymes, in the leaf axils of the current season's growth; staminate flowers are solitary in the leaf axils of the current season's growth.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Prickly
- Smooth
- Waxy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Undulate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple leaves; new growth is plum purple in some cultivars. Leaves are shaped elliptic or ovate to oblong-lanceolate. Leaves are 1/2 to 4 inches long and are crowded on stems. The undersides of leaves are sometimes dotted with blackish pellucid glands. Leaves are good in flower arrangements. Their dark green color provides winter interest. Some species lack marginal spines.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Green
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Smooth, gray-brown or slightly greenish.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are green on current season growth, and turn gray-green to gray-brown by year 2 or 3. They are often densely pubescent on young stems. Dense and rigid at maturity.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Slope/Bank
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- English Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Barrier
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Small Tree
- Specimen
- Understory Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns