In recent years, Hollies have taken the gardening public by storm. And why shouldn’t they receive attention after so many decades of neglect?
They are not difficult to transplant, as was once widely believed. Nor are they especially slow-growing, provided proper requirements are met.
However, pollen from male plants is necessary to ensure the setting of berries on female plants.
Several Types Of Hollies
There are several types of hollies:
- The deciduous species, with red berries
- Evergreen kinds with either black or red fruits
- Some with yellow berries
Hollies are native to Europe, China, Japan, and the Eastern United States. Irrespective of the source, however, the most important is the plant’s adaptability to our gardens.
If you live in the Southeast, from eastern Texas to Philadelphia (except Florida), or in the Northwest, the chances are that you need not be concerned. Chances are the hardiness of any species of holly will usually survive.
Evergreen Species
Evergreen species from China are successful as far North as southern New Jersey, Long Island, and Cape Cod.
However, forms of the Ilex crenata from Japan are safely grown in Boston, Rochester, and Chicago.
The American holly, Ilex opaca, is reportedly established in much of the eastern United States and maritime Canada, while inkberry, Ilex glabra, occurs naturally within this range.
English Holly As A Holiday Decoration
As a source of holiday decoration, the American holly is surpassed only by the English holly, Ilex aquifolium, which has glossier, more spiny, and crinkled leaves. Berries of this latter type may be slightly larger, too.
However, for most of America, Ilex opaca is more frequently grown since the European species is not a dependable performer except in the Northwest, where climatic conditions are peculiarly suitable for this species.
Variety Uses Of Evergreen Hollies
Evergreen hollies tend to have a variety of uses. The red-berried, tree-like forms, such as the Americium and Chinese hollies, are especially valuable.
Nearly all named American tunes are suitable for specimen planting because of their symmetrical habit and capacity to set an attractive crop of berries.
As hedges, evergreen Hollies make admirable subjects since they withstand shearing ring well and form compact shrubs.
Hedges Attributes
Uniformity of foliage is important for the appearance of a hedge; therefore, all plants must be of one variety.
Fine-textured foliage is most satisfactory. Certain varieties of the American holly are suggested for hedges, such as Hedgeholly, Clark, Christmas Hedge, and Mrs. Santa.
Other species have attributes for hedges, too. These include the following:
- Ilex pernyi for a tall, narrow, evergreen wall of refined texture,
- Ilex crenata microphylla which grows slightly broader, and
- Ilex crenata camera, which does not grow quite as tall.
- Ilex cornuta, with its distinctively-shaped, glossy leaves and compact habit, is admirable in protected locations in the North.
Also good is the rarely seen, spineless Ilex pedunculosa, which has a compact form and often a yellowish-green cast.
For an unclipped hedge, one might use the compact form of Ilex glabra, which will withstand shade from nearly all kinds of trees except that beech and Norway maple.
Several forms of Ilex crenata are so dwarf and slow-growing that they might be suitable for edging. New forms are Ilex crenata compacta, Green Island, and Kingsville.
In foundation planting, baffles are not usually recommended, but there are available a few plants dwarf enough in type for this use.
The compact form of inkberry is suitable, and so is Ilex crenata convexa, a form of Japanese holly with glossy, cup-shaped leaves.
Each variety has unobtrusive blackberries when a male plant is placed nearby.
Deciduous Holly Planting
The wild garden offers opportunities for holly planting, including several deciduous species.
- Native black alder, Ilex verticinata, and its yellow-fruited form
- Refined Asiatic species, Ilex serrata, with its myriad of smaller red berries
- Time possum-hair, Ilex decidua, tall and arching, with light-gray twigs, is found in the South.
An evergreen plant of showy fruiting habit, frequently grown in the South, is the yaupon, Ilex vomitoria. The small berries are so shiny that they glisten.
Gardeners in the North use inkberry, the hardiest evergreen holly species, for informal situations.
Cultivation of American Holly
Most widely cultivated now, however, is the American holly. It is rapidly finding favor as a hardy evergreen tree, even at elevations far above its natural haunts.
It will survive low temperatures, provided the plants are not situated in an exposed position.
As it is evergreen, it requires sufficient water before the ground freezes to allow constant loss through Winter transpiration.
If the season has been dry, avoid watering too late in Summer so as not to stimulate the plant into late growth that will be unable to mature before frost.
American Holly: Merry Christmas
Nearly all named American hollies available today are selected individuals, propagated vegetatively, that huntsmen hope will fill a spot in the home garden.
An American holly with an appropriate name is Merry Christmas, found near Bay-vile along the New Jersey coast.
The original plant has been transplanted to the vicinity of Eldred, New York, an elevation about 1000’ feet above sea level.
Young plants of this variety readily establish themselves and soon can set a good crop of berries. The leaves are large, glossy, and dark green.
Old Heavy Berry
Old Heavy Berry once grew at Hookstra’s place in Burlington, New Jersey. It is a large-branched veteran with broad, glossy, dark green leaves.
As its name suggests, it produces berries in abundance.
Beside the Magothy River (south of Baltimore, Maryland) grew an upright tree with broad, glossy, dark green foliage and large, slightly egg-shaped berries on long stalks.
This plant, Miss Helen, now grows on a hilltop at Towson, Maryland, fully exposed to Winter winds.
Farage in New Jersey
From New Lisbon, New Jersey came a holly known as Farage, a name derived from “left of a garage,” which was its position when under cultivation.
This is a handsome, compact plant with rather wide-spreading branches. The leaves are glossy, dark green, tapering at the base.
It transplants readily, and the berries are numerous, glossy, and scattered along the branchlets.
St. Mary. Young Plants
Many years ago, a distinctive holly was brought under cultivation by the Rev. Andrew Wilson on St. Mary’s Island off Osterville, Cape Cod.
This holly is appropriately called St. Mary. Young plants of this variety grow upright, with ascending short branches.
The foliage is glossy but somewhat paler than the sorts mentioned above. The berries are very shiny and crowded on the branchlets.
Spineless Variety In Northern Gardens
A novelty for protected locations in Northern gardens is the spineless variety, East Palatka, discovered by Dr. H. Harold Hume and friends in a dooryard of a village by that name in Florida.
This plant is of open habit and scarcely resembles a holly, for the leaves are virtually spineless, pale green though glossy, and not as firm as the northern form. The berries are reported to be very abundant each year in the South.
It is doubtful if this variety will consistently withstand climatic conditions as far North as coastal New Jersey, Long Island, and Cape Cod.
The previous American hollies are only a few named sorts currently available. They are among the best hollies for their qualities as superior plants but not necessarily for their ability to set berries in abundance.
Transplanting Techniques
Balling and burlapping are indispensable when transplanting. Some horticulturists have modified this practice by growing hollies in wire “baskets.”
When transplanting, they set the basket holding the plant in the hole without disturbing the fibrous roots. The wire rusts away while the plant is becoming established.
The technique of transplanting requires an adequate hole at least as deep as the ball and, for best results, half again as wide across.
For instance, if the ball is two feet wide, the hole should be three feet across. An ample supply of Ieafmold from oak or other “slow decomposing” types of litter should be used.
This material must be packed firmly about the roots to avoid air spaces.
At the ground’s surface, a shallow trench must be left around the plant to receive liberal amounts of water during dry periods. Judgment in watering is the best rule.
Planting of American Holly
In planting American holly, which in a couple of decades will attain a spread approaching 20’ feet, a distance of 26’ feet between specimens is not excessive.
Too frequently, we are inclined to plant thickly; when the time comes for our well-intended thinning, we are unable, or disinclined, to get the job done.
So it is wise to allow sufficient space for maximum development, interplanting with suitable low-growing material or protecting the young plants with stakes or wire.
Once established, the young hollies should be properly mulched to conserve moisture.
Within a few years, the young plants will be supplying sprays for holiday decoration, provided there are adequate staminate (male, that is, or pollen-bearing) plants nearby.
Pollination Of Holly Plants
Pollination is affected by bees when the inconspicuous greenish flowers are in bloom — during the latter part of May in the latitude of New York City.
The berry crop depends primarily upon favorable weather conditions during this critical period.
If there are no known male plants in the vicinity, branches from pollen-bearing trees may be cut and placed in a milk bottle or similar receptacle underneath the pistillate (female) plants.
Judicious Pruning
Holly responds favorably to judicious pruning. Branchlets up to 2’ feet in length may be taken before the holiday season.
The effect during the subsequent growing season will be to force the plant into more compact growth.
This process practiced each year moderately, or generally over the entire plant every several years, will prove beneficial since it will help to keep the tree in scale.
Holly Arboretum
At Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, a 5-acre holly arboretum has been established recently.
The purpose of this collection is to study variations among all hardy hollies. Tests are also being made on nutritional requirements and other cultural practices.
This arboretum has received the encouragement and cooperation of the Holly Society of America.
44659 by Robert B. Clark