The Holly is one of the five evergreen trees that are native to the British Isles. It is better known for its berries at Christmas time than for decoration in the garden. But an ordinary common Holly is far too big a tree to grow in the average garden today – and even then, you cannot be sure that it will berry because some are male, some female and some are bisexual.
This difficulty can be overcome, for there is one variety that will berry freely, year in year out all on its own. This is called Ilex altaclarensis ‘J. C. Van ThoF. It makes a tall, rather pyramidal bush, and it has dark leaves without many spines – another advantage if you are going to use it to stick in the Christmas pudding. It is a valuable addition to winter colour in the garden, without taking up very much room. So, too, are some of the variegated hollies of which the best are ‘Golden King’ and ‘Silver Queen’. These were named without reference to their sex – for ‘Golden King’ is a female holly and bears berries, while ‘Silver Queen’ is male and can only be considered for the beauty of its leaves. Ilex ‘Golden King’ is one of the brightest variegated plants in the garden.
Not only are the leaves well splashed with gold but, very often, the young growth is pure gold. Ilex ‘Silver Queen has leaves which are green, mottled with grey, and edged with silver. These are set off very attractively by the red stems of the young growth. Another variety, which is somewhat similar in the pattern of its leaves – but gold instead of silver – is Ilex aquifolium ‘Madame Briot This has purple stems which, again, add to its charm.
Garden hollies
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Common holly (Ilex aquifolium) has many varieties making bushy trees that, if left to grow unchecked, can reach up to 20m/65ft. Also available in many forms, resistant to pollution and frost hardy, is x altaclarensis. It is shorter than common holly and makes a tapering, pyramidal shape. These two provide most of our common garden varieties of holly, though some other species can also be grown.
Box-leaved or Japanese holly ( crenata) for example, will eventually grow up to 4.5m/ 15ft, but is slow-growing and useful in containers.
Winterberry (Ilex uerticilla-ta) is a deciduous shrub with suckering stems that grow from the base of the plant. Its otherwise bare autumn stems are crowded with bright berries that will provide colour all through the winter.
A question of sex
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Holly plants take some years before they establish themselves happily in a garden and begin flowering. To be sure of colourful berries for future festive decorations you will need to have both a male and a female plant; most varieties of holly are unisexual.
There is no need to worry if space is limited, as there are two exceptions that are self-fertile. aquifolium ‘J.C. Van Tol’ and ‘Pyramidalis’ both produce an abundance of red berries all by themselves.
Both male and female holly plants bear tiny, white spring flowers. If you are not sure whether an established holly is male or female, closely examine the flowers. If they have a round centre they are fe- male. Male flowers have stamens with pollen.
Holly makes a dense animal and burglar-proof hedge. Here you can use plain green holly or one of the many variegated hollies to make a light and glowing boundary.
Plant aquifolium ‘Hands-worth New Silver’, a female with creamedged green leaves, in combination with at least one ‘Silver Queen’ – male despite the name – to ensure plenty of bright red berries in winter. One male plant will be sufficient to fertilize many females. For a long boundary hedge you need to include just one male for every 24 plants.
Space the plants 45cm/18in apart, and trim them with secateurs in midsummer. When the plants have reached the height you require, trim their tops as well as the sides.
Holly can be a very effective plant in a mixed shrub border. Even plain green holly provides a glossy, evergreen back-ground for other shrubs.
Variegated varieties need a position in full sun, but repay you with added colour. For strong golden-yellow variegation choose from aquifolium ‘Golden Milkboy’ (male), ‘Golden Queen’ (male), ‘Madame Briot’ (female) and ‘Golden van Tol’ (female). ‘Handsworth New Silver’ (female) is a good all round holly for the smaller garden. It has creamy leaf margins and bears a profusion of berries. Use it for hedging or as a specimen plant in a lawn.
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Hollies are slow-growing, so specimen plants look a little lost for a while in a sea of lawn. Once they get going they become quite stately, although you can keep their height in check by pruning if you wish.
One drawback, though, is that evergreen hollies shed some old leaves in early summer. Once they have been blown around the garden they can crop up painfully if they get into soil where you are weeding. To avoid this, grow relatively smooth-leaved hollies such as x altaclarensis ‘Camelliifolia’ or Golden King. Both these handsome plants are females, so you will need a male somewhere nearby if they are to produce a crop of berries.
For smooth leaves and good shape, grow one of the self-fertile holly varieties, ‘J.C. Van Tol’ or ‘Pyramidalis’.
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If you want berries and a somewhat bizarre type of growth, Ilex aquifolium ‘Pendula’ is a weeping form which makes an elegant bush and produces its berries all on its own, in the same way as I. ‘J. C. Van Thol’. Buy plants from a nursery or garden centre and, believe it or not, the best time to set them is June.
Related articles
- Winter Colour – Trees (gardeningdatafiles.com)
- Windbreaks and Screening (gardeningdatafiles.com)
