Oakleaf Holly Ilex Oakleaf™ 'Conaf'
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- EYE-leks
- Description
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One of the more exciting introductions into the world of hollies is the Oakleaf™ holly. This evergreen beauty is a chance seedling from another well-known holly called 'Mary Nell'. The Oakleaf™ cultivar is one of five different hollies introduced as the "red hollies" in the mid-1990s.
Grow in full sun or in very light shade. This holly cultivar has a pyramidal form and will reach a height of 14 feet, with some reports up to 20 feet, at a moderate rate of growth of about one foot per year. They withstand sheering well and are resistant to insect and disease problems as well as deer browsing.
Oakleaf™ holly gets its name from the shape of the plant's leaf, whose shape resembles that of our native Scarlet Oak tree. The evergreen foliage starts out purplish green and then turns an attractive medium green with a lighter colored leaf edge. While the flowers are insignificant they are perfect meaning they will produce attractive orange-red fruits without the need for a male pollinator.
The Oakleaf™ holly's eight-foot spread makes it ideal for evergreen hedges or planting in mass for screening purposes. This showstopper is attractive enough to set out into your garden as a specimen plant and its glossy green leaves and showy fruits make lasting interest in the fall and winter garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
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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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ilex
- Family:
- Aquifoliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeast United States
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruits are attractive to birds. Flowers attract bees. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Screening
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer damage
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Pyramidal
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- 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
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 3/8 inch orangey-red drupes in fall that persist into winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small four petaled green to yellow-white flowers in clusters in the leaf axils in spring.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Prickly
- Smooth
- Waxy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3.5 inch oak shaped leaf. In spring, leaves are bronze to purple burgundy in color and retain color for several weeks. Margins are serrated with 3-5 pairs of prominent spines.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Lawn
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
- Drought
- Insect Pests
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
