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Ilex crenata 'Hetzii'

Phonetic Spelling
EYE-leks kre-NAY-tuh
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Hetz Holly is a cultivar of Ilex crenata, which is a native of Japan and east Asia and can be found in thickets, woods and wet places in lowland and mountains all over Japan. Hetz Holly is a handsome evergreen shrub in the Aquifoliaceae family with a dense, rigid, and compact form and grows up to a 6 1/2 foot high rounded mound. It is a larger form of the 'Convexa' cultivar, with larger leaves. It tolerates severe pruning, allowing you to control its height.  It also tolerates drought and air pollution, poor, sandy, and clay soils, but is intolerant of alkaline soils. It does well in the shade and is easily transplanted. It has a slow growth rate and has pest problems.

Plant in the full sun to partial shade in acidic well-drained soil though it tolerates a wide range of soil types, from moist to dry, including clay. It may not thrive in areas with high heat and humidity (USDA zones 8 and 9) and may also be less cold hardy than other cultivars. The Ilex species is dioecious (meaning individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant, thus both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). Because ‘Hetzii’ is a female cultivar, it will need a male pollinator in order to produce fruit. .

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No serious diseases or insect pests. 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.  

More information on Ilex crenata.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#drought tolerant#nectar plant#shade garden#air pollution tolerant#topiary#showy fruits#specialized bees#easy to transplant#transplant#deer resistant#pollinator plant#black fruits#holly#sandy soils tolerant#clay soils tolerant#bee friendly#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#drought tolerant#nectar plant#shade garden#air pollution tolerant#topiary#showy fruits#specialized bees#easy to transplant#transplant#deer resistant#pollinator plant#black fruits#holly#sandy soils tolerant#clay soils tolerant#bee friendly#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Ilex
    Species:
    crenata
    Family:
    Aquifoliaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    East Nepal to Temperate East Asia, Japan and Korea
    Fire Risk Rating:
    medium flammability
    Wildlife Value:
    The small fragrant flowers attract bees. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Food Source
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Mildly resistant to damage by deer
    Edibility:
    Use caution. Human ingestion of berries can cause minor toxic reaction.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Dense
    Mounding
    Multi-stemmed
    Rounded
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Fine
    Appendage:
    Spines
  • 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:
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Berry
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Fruits are small, globose, black drupe in fall formed from the pollinated flowers on this female plant. A male cultivar is needed for pollination. The fruit are berry-like and slightly larger than 1/4 of an inch.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Green
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Cyme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are non-showy, dull greenish white in the spring. They grow in clusters of 2 to 3 and up to 1/4 of an inch. Inflorescence is pistallte a cyme in leaf axils of current season's growth.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leathery
    Smooth
    Waxy
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Long-lasting
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Oblong
    Obovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Leaves are small, alternate, simple, elliptic or obovate to oblong-lanceolate, and convex. They are dark green and the underside is dotted with blackish pellucid glands. They grow between 1/2 and 1 inch in length and are convex and 'hat-like'.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Gray
    Green
    Surface/Attachment:
    Smooth
    Bark Description:
    Smooth, gray-brown or slightly greenish.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Stems are green on current season of growth, and turn gray-green to gray-brown by year 2 or 3. Young stems are often densely pubescent.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Container
    Lawn
    Patio
    Pool/Hardscape
    Slope/Bank
    Walkways
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Foundation Planting
    Hedge
    Mass Planting
    Small groups
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Pollinators
    Specialized Bees
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Minor toxicity. Ingestion may cause vomiting, diarrhea, or other illness in humans.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Saponins
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Fruits