Ilex hybrids

Ilex hybrids, or Japanese Holly hybrids, are a collection of handsome, deciduous, evergreen shrubs or small trees in the Aquifoliaceae family. The parent plant 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. The genus name, Ilex, comes from the Latin Quercus ilex for holm oak and refers to the similarity to oak in the shape of the leaves. In general, Japanese Holly hybrids have showy red or black fruits that provide fall and winter interest in the landscape and bright green foliage that lasts year round. The parent plant and its hybrids tend to be dense, rigid, compact, and range in height from dwarfs at 2 feet high up to 10 feet tall. The plant is resistant to damage by deer and tolerates severe pruning and you will find it often used to make topiaries. The cultivars listed with this entry are crosses between Ilex vericillata and Ilex serrata, but keep in mind that there are many species of the genus Ilex and many cultivars of those various species described under the general heading Ilex in this plant toolbox.

Plant Japanese Holly 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 tolerates drought, shade, air pollution, poor soils, and clay soils and is easy to transplant. Most hybrids have a slow growth rate and some 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. It is abundantly planted as an ornamental in North Carolina.

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.