Holly: All you need to plant & Caring for Ilex

Holly, also known as holly, is particularly popular around Christmas. We present the most popular Ilex varieties, reveal whether Ilex is poisonous and give tips on planting and caring for them.

Holly (Ilex) bring color to the garden even in winter, when many trees and shrubs are long bare. With their glossy leaves and red, yellow, black, rarely brown or green fruits, holly is a popular ornamental shrub and hedge plant. Holly sprigs are a popular Christmas decoration in the US and here too. But centuries before this custom, the druids valued the holly as a sacred plant and the Romans assigned it to the god Saturn and gave away its branches on his holiday, Saturnalia. According to traditional folk belief, a living Ilex protects house and yard from lightning and should therefore not be cut down too radically.

Holly: Origin and Properties

Holly (Ilex) is the only genus in the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). There are an estimated 600 species worldwide. Holly trees inhabit all climate zones on earth, but their biodiversity is greatest in South America and East Asia, where they can still be found at altitudes of up to 2000 meters above sea level. Only four of them are native to Europe, the best known is certainly the European holly (Ilex aquifolium).

Holly are deciduous or evergreen deciduous trees that can grow up to 25 meters high. It is also not uncommon for individual Ilex bushes to grow up to 100 years old. The leaves are arranged alternately on the long, often branched shoots. Depending on the species, the leaves are smooth, toothed or thorny at the edges. They are leathery and dark green or green with yellow or white variegation.

Holly: Bloom

Holly are dioecious. This means that a shrub bears either only female or only male flowers. These are inconspicuous, small and can be cream, yellow, white, green or almost violet and are located in the leaf axils of last year's shoots. theFlowering time of the Ilex can vary depending on the species, the native Ilex aquifolium flowers between May and June. Depending on the variety, fruits of different colors can develop, but the spherical drupes are usually red.

Is holly poisonous?

Holly sprigs and berries are highly toxic to humans and animals. Poisoning can quickly become very dangerous, especially for small children. Symptoms of poisoning are vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and circulatory problems. If part of the plant has been swallowed, plenty of liquid, preferably water or tea, should be consumed immediately and a doctor must be consulted.
The shrub is also extremely poisonous for dogs, cats and the like. However, the risk of animals nibbling on the plant is low because the leaves are leathery and sometimes prickly. Nevertheless, caution is advised: holly can be deadly for small animals. For birds, on the other hand, the holly berries are a real feast. In the winter they are a treat for the little birdies.

Holly Toxicity Summary

• Both berries and leaves are highly poisonous
• In case of symptoms of poisoning, drink plenty of fluids and consult a doctor
• The shrub is especially dangerous for small children
• The berries are harmless for birds and a popular food in winter

Popular Holly Varieties and Species

The variety within the holly family is very great. To give you an overview of the up to 600 different species worldwide, we present the most interesting species and varieties.

European holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Ilex aquifolium is native to us, you can find the common or European holly mainly in mixed forests and of course in gardens. In Germany, the plant is under nature protection. Popular varieties of this species are:

• 'Alaska': This cultivar has unicolored dark green leaves and can grow many meters into a stately tree.
• 'Heckenzwerg': After 10 years, this variety has grown 30 centimeters high. It never gets higher than 50 cm. It is wonderful for low hedges.
• ‘J. C. van Tol': The leaves of this popular variety are not serrated but have smooth leaf edges. shebears a multitude of small, bright red fruits.
• 'Myrtifolia': Although this variety does not bear berries, its leaves are all the more striking. They are shiny, wavy and a lot longer than their conspecifics.
• 'Rubricaulis Aurea': This variety stands out with a green leaf center and a wide, cream-colored leaf margin.
• ‘Silver Queen’: The leaves of this special variety are gray-green in the middle with a thin, silvery white leaf margin.

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata)

This species, which originated in Japan, is now also popular with us. What is special about this species is that many varieties look very similar to boxwood (Buxus). This suits those who are looking for an alternative because of the box tree moth. There are countless varieties of Japanese holly. We are now introducing you to the most beautiful ones:

• 'Convexa': The leaves of this variety are light green and curved inwards. The fruits are green at first and then turn black.
• ‘Dark Green’: This variety looks confusingly similar to boxwood. Only the small, black fruits give them away as Ilex.
• ‘Golden Gem’: This variety has golden yellow foliage when it buds. Later the leaves turn greener.
• ‘Green Hedge’: The leaves of this variety are light green with a delicate yellow leaf edge.
• 'Green Lustre': This variety grows as a dense, hemispherical bush. The leaves are slightly toothed and green. The fruits are purple-green.

Holly bush (Ilex x meserveae)

This type of holly is particularly popular with us for hedges. This is due to their upright, cone-shaped growth and growth heights of up to three meters. Some interesting varieties of this species are:

• ‘Blue Euro’: This variety stands out because of its special leaves. These are light green in the center of the leaf, becoming creamy white on the outside, and the leaf tips shimmer purple.
• 'Blue Prince': This variety impresses with its blue-green leaves and particularly dense growth. It bears no fruit as it is only male plants. The female counterpart goes by the cultivar name 'Blue Princess' and bears bright red fruits.
• 'Heckenfee': This variety convinces with green, strongly jagged leaves and many decorative, red fruits.
• 'Heckenpracht': This variety has green, densely serrated leaves that make every hedge an eye-catcherpower.
• 'Heckenstar': This variety is not called 'Heckenstar' for nothing, because its densely branched and columnar growth makes it perfect for hedges.

Deciduous Holly (Ilex verticillata)

The special thing about this species is that it loses its leaves in winter. Before that, they turn yellow and orange. Because it is not evergreen, it is rarely found here. This species originally comes from North America.

Chinese Holly (Ilex cornuta)

This species, originally from China, is widespread in large parts of China and Korea, where it is also cultivated as an ornamental plant. This is mainly due to the large, decorative fruits.

American Holly (Ilex opaca)

This species of holly is native to the southern and eastern United States. There it is used as an ornamental plant, but the wood is also used in handicrafts. It is also this species that adorns many living rooms and postcards at Christmas time.

Mate (Ilex paraguariensis)

Another species of holly that many don't know is also a Ilex is the Mate shrub. The stimulating mate tea is made from the leaves of this plant. Mate is drunk almost every day in large parts of South America. The drink is also becoming more and more popular with us.

Plant Holly

Holly do well in a bright spot in the garden. This can be either a sunny or a semi-shady place. The soil should be rich in nutrients and moist. Also recommended is acidic and permeable soil at the site. But holly can also grow in pots. Choose a suitable, short-growing variety - or a pot of the appropriate size.

Ideal location for planting holly

• Bright location
• Moist nutrient-rich soil
• Acid and well-drained soil
• Also possible as potted plants

Once you've found the perfect spot in your garden, plant your holly. We have summarized how to do this for you in the following instructions.

Step-by-step instructions to plant Ilex:

1. Best time: in the spring after the last frost
2. Root ball in a bucketwater
3. Dig the planting hole: 1.5 times as wide and deep as the root ball
4. Mix compost or fertilizer with organic long-term effects such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer into the excavation
5. Mix too calcareous or clayey soil with one third sand and one third potting soil
6. For container plants: Lightly prick the roots with a spade or your hands to encourage branching. In the case of baled goods, open the bale cloth or the wire basket generously at the root collar
7. Plant so deep that the root collar (transition from root to shoot) is above the ground
8. Fill the planting hole with soil, step on your feet
9. In warm weather and little rain: Model a watering rim out of soil and cut a plant
10. Water well
11. Planting distance for hedges: 4 - 8 plants per meter

Caring for Holly

The beauty of holly is that once planted, they require little maintenance and can be enjoyed for many years. Usually you do not need to water the evergreen shrub regularly. Only potted plants need regular watering. Waterlogging should definitely be avoided. Persistently moist roots lead to root rot. The irrigation water should also be as low in lime as possible, because holly prefers it to be slightly acidic.

Tip: Wear gloves for any work on your holly. This will protect you from prickly leaves.

Cutting Holly

Holly do not require regular pruning. In general, however, the plants are very tolerant of pruning and cope very well with pruning in spring or summer. This can be, for example, a topiary for topiary or hedges, or to thin out plants that are too dense. Prune judiciously and not too much at once as holly grows very slowly and it can take a long time for the shrub to grow back to its old form.

How to trim holly?

• Best time: spring or late summer
• Very pruning compatible
• Topiary for hedges or topiary, pruning or thinning
• Prune wisely, grows slowly

Fertilize Holly

When fertilizing your Ilex , you should consider two things: The shrub likes acidic soil, so low-lime fertilization is ideal. In addition, the fertilization should be nitrogen-rich. For the hollyit is also sufficient if it is supplied with fertilizer once a year. The best time for this is in spring. Use a long-acting organic fertilizer for this, or horse manure, horn shavings or acidic bokashi. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer gently supplies the evergreen plant with all the important nutrients over the long term without over-fertilizing it.

Propagating Holly

Two methods have been proven to propagate holly: layering or cuttings. Both methods are briefly presented here.

Propagating holly by layering:

• In spring or late autumn
• Select a he althy shoot and lower to the ground
• Where this one touches the ground, remove the leaves
• Now bury the shoot in the ground
• The tip of the shoot must stick out of the ground
• The buried shoot can also be fixed with wire or a stone
• When roots have formed in autumn or spring, the planter is separated from the mother plant
• The new shoot is dug up and planted in a new place

Propagating holly by cuttings:

• Optimal time in July/August, but possible until the onset of frost
• Use shoot tips of plants that are as young as possible or branches that grow as close to the ground as possible on old plants
• Remove all leaves except the top ones or cut them in half
• Place in a draining container with nutrient-poor, airy cuttings substrate
• Press and pour generously
• Ideal conditions prevail in a mini greenhouse
• Place in one and bright place
• Regular ventilation and humidification

Wintering Holly

Overwintering holly is child's play, because the vast majority of holly species are hardy and can survive the winter in the garden without special protection. Only very young plants or special species need winter protection. A fleece or fir branches are suitable for this, for example. Container plants should be overwintered in a bright and frost-free place. For example, this could be an unheated conservatory or a bright hallway.

Danger of confusion: Holly is often confused with mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium). If you spot yellow flowers and dark purple berries on your supposed holly, it's definitely a mahonia.

While holly can be overwintered in the garden without shelter, other plants will require care even through winter. For more gardening in winter, check out our December gardening article.