Ilex crenata 'Soft Touch'

Soft touch Japanese holly is a cultivar of Ilex crenata, Japanese holly, a native of Japan and east Asia and found in thickets, woods and wet places in lowlands and mountains all over Japan. Soft touch Japanese holly is a dense, mounded, evergreen shrub with a moderate growth rate. Unlike its parent, it will reach a relatively short height of 3 feet and has soft-textured leaves without the sharp spines typically found on Japanese Holly. Soft touch Japanese holly glossy green leaves also have an interesting silver mid-vein. It works well planted in borders, as an accent, or along walkways. Black ornamental berries persist throughout winter for cool season interest.

Plant in the full sun in acidic well-drained soil though it tolerates a wide range of soil types, from moist to dry, including clay. The shrub can be pruned to manage its size, and it tolerates drought, shade, air pollution, poor soils, and clay soils and is easy to transplant. It may not thrive in areas with high heat and humidity (USDA zones 8 and 9). The 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). It is pollinated by bees and is not self-fertile.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Generally pest free. Potential insect pests include holly leaf miner, spider mites, whitefly, and scale. Potential diseases include leaf spot, leaf rot, tar spot, and powdery mildew. Plants are also susceptible to leaf drop, leaf scorch and chlorosis (yellowing of leaves in high pH soils). 

The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests.

More information on Ilex crenata.