Box-leaved Holly Ilex crenata
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Ilex crenata f. genuina
- Ilex crenata var. typica
- Phonetic Spelling
- EYE-leks kre-NAY-tuh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Japanese holly is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). This holly is a native of Japan and East Asia and can be found in thickets, woods, and wet places in lowlands and mountains all across Japan. The shrub is dense, multi-stemmed, rigid, and compact with a rounded habit. It may slowly grow 5 to 10 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide. Many cultivars of this plant are even more compact and only grow 3 to 4 feet tall. The genus name, Ilex, comes from the Latin, Quercus ilex, for holm oak, and refers to the similarity of the leaves. The specific epithet, crenata, refers to the crenate margins or shallow rounded teeth on the edges of the leaves.
Plant in full sun to partial shade and in acidic well-drained soil. It tolerates drought, shade, air pollution, poor and clay soils, and is easy to transplant. However, it may not thrive in areas with high heat and humidity such as the southern United States. It is also best to plant this shrub in protected areas to prevent damage from winter's cold winds.
Japanese holly is dioecious, meaning that a separate male and female plant must be present for the female to be pollinated and produce fruit. If the female plant produces fruits, they are small, black, round drupes that ripen in the fall. There are many cultivars available and the parent species is rarely seen.
Use Japanese holly as a border, foundation planting, hedge, in small groups, or in mass plantings. The shrub can be severely pruned to manage its size so it works well in small spaces and as topiary.
Quick ID Hints:
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Dense, multi-stemmed, rigid, and compact shrub or small tree with a rounded habit
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Small, alternate, glossy deep green leaves with crenate to serrulate margins
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Undersides of the leaves as translucent glands or black dots
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Clusters of small 4-petaled white flowers with greenish centers that bloom in the spring
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Small, black, round drupes that ripen in the fall
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Japanese holly has no serious insect pests or diseases. Spider mites and nematodes are occasional pests. Aphids, scales, holly leaf miners, and holly leaf blight may also be seen. 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.
VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University
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- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Mountain Ridge Top Garden - North Lawn and Upper Drive Border Woodland Backyard Garden Walk
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Compacta'
- 'Drops of gold'
Broad, upright-spreading, compact shrub, matures to 4 feet tall and to 5 feet wide. Glossy, yellow variegated leaves. - 'Geisha'
Yellow berries. Rounded, 3 to 4 foot form. Resembles boxwood. - 'Golden Gem'
Male cultivar, no fruit, unusual golden foliage, matures to 2 feet high. - 'Green Luster'
Small and dense; great for hedges
'Helleri'
- 'Hoogendorn'
Grows slowly, little to no pruning required, and does not require much water maintenance
'Latifolia'
- 'Sky Pointer'
Matures to 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, narrow pyramidal form, free branching, glossy dark green leaves. No flowers or fruit. - 'Snowflake'
Gray-green leaves variegated with creamy white margins.
'Soft Touch'
- 'Twiggy'
Small black fruit 'Convexa'
Pea-sized black fruit
Small leaves. Matures to 4 feet tall, 5 feet wide. Infrequent flowers. 'Hetzii'
Shrubby cultivar that grows in a rounded mound
Large oblong leaves 'Sky Pencil'
Maintains narrow, columnar shape without pruning.
Soft-textured evergreen leaves that do not have sharp spines 'Stokes'
Grown for its dwarf congested habit - 'Drops of gold'
- 'Compacta', 'Convexa', 'Drops of gold', 'Geisha', 'Golden Gem', 'Green Luster', 'Helleri', 'Hetzii', 'Hoogendorn', 'Latifolia', 'Sky Pencil', 'Sky Pointer', 'Snowflake', 'Soft Touch', 'Stokes', 'Twiggy'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Compacta'
- 'Drops of gold'
Broad, upright-spreading, compact shrub, matures to 4 feet tall and to 5 feet wide. Glossy, yellow variegated leaves. - 'Geisha'
Yellow berries. Rounded, 3 to 4 foot form. Resembles boxwood. - 'Golden Gem'
Male cultivar, no fruit, unusual golden foliage, matures to 2 feet high. - 'Green Luster'
Small and dense; great for hedges
'Helleri'
- 'Hoogendorn'
Grows slowly, little to no pruning required, and does not require much water maintenance
'Latifolia'
- 'Sky Pointer'
Matures to 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, narrow pyramidal form, free branching, glossy dark green leaves. No flowers or fruit. - 'Snowflake'
Gray-green leaves variegated with creamy white margins.
'Soft Touch'
- 'Twiggy'
Small black fruit 'Convexa'
Pea-sized black fruit
Small leaves. Matures to 4 feet tall, 5 feet wide. Infrequent flowers. 'Hetzii'
Shrubby cultivar that grows in a rounded mound
Large oblong leaves 'Sky Pencil'
Maintains narrow, columnar shape without pruning.
Soft-textured evergreen leaves that do not have sharp spines 'Stokes'
Grown for its dwarf congested habit - 'Drops of gold'
- 'Compacta', 'Convexa', 'Drops of gold', 'Geisha', 'Golden Gem', 'Green Luster', 'Helleri', 'Hetzii', 'Hoogendorn', 'Latifolia', 'Sky Pencil', 'Sky Pointer', 'Snowflake', 'Soft Touch', 'Stokes', 'Twiggy'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ilex
- Species:
- crenata
- Family:
- Aquifoliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Nepal to Temperate East Asia, Japan and Korea
- Distribution:
- Native; Assam, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Tibet, and Vietnam. Introduced: United States--Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington.
- 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:
- Attracts Pollinators
- 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: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
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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
- 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
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a black, globose, berrylike drupe on pollinated female plants. They ripen in early fall and will persist into spring. They measure 1/4 to 1/3 inch in diameter. The fruits are hidden below the foliage.
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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:
- The flowers are small and measure 1/3 to 1/2 inch in diameter. They are dull, greenish-white, fragrant flowers in spring that form in clusters of 1 to 3. They are 4-petaled with a pale green center. The pistillate cyme appears in the leaf axils of the current season's growth. The staminate solitary bloom appears in the leaf axils of the current season's growth. Blooming occurs from May to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, simple, and elliptic or obovate. They are shiny and dark green on the upper surface and dull light green beneath. The leaves are small and measure 0.5 to 1.25 inches long and are crowded on stems. The underside of the leaves also has dotted blackish pellucid glands. Leaves are good in flower arrangements. Their dark green color provides winter interest.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Green
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- The bark is light greenish brown to gray and smooth.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are green on current season growth, but in 2 to 3 years, the stems turn grayish-green to grayish-brown. The young stems are densely pubescent. At maturity, the older stems are denser and more rigid. The buds are small.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Small Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
- Drought
- Insect Pests
- Pollution
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
