- Shop Now
- Burncoose Specialities
- This Month
- Offers & Promotions
- RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022
- Engage With Us
- Information, Help & Advice
- About Us & Our Services
- Terms & Conditions
- Log In / Register
ILEX
Commonly known as Holly
Another member of the Christmas trinity with Ivy and Fir.
Another essential for the garden, either as a specimen, a backdrop to other plantings or even in a container for a few sprigs for a seasonal arrangement.
Gaudy golds, less showy silvers and subtle dark greens and berries in red, black, occasionally white, orange or yellow.
Genus of over 400 species of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and, rarely, climbers, from woodland in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions.
The native, I. aquifolium is a small tree of mysticism and magic, a protector of the house from evil and lightning and provider of timber for the finest woodwork.
-
EvergreenAnd deciduous trees, shrubs and climbers.
-
Tall Shrub
-
Full sunFor best leaf colour in variegated varieties. -
Partial shade
-
Additional Features
Good to knowGrown for their foliage and berries. Simple leaves may have entire, spiny or spine-toothed margins. Both sexes needed to produce fruits. One male to five females is recommended. Wildlife plant. Birds, butterflies, moths.
Pests & DiseasesScale insects, leaf miners.
Place of originTropical, subtropical and temperate regions worldwide -
Soil ConditionsFertile moist well-drained soil
Buy Varieties of ILEX
ILEX x altaclerensis 'Camelliifolia'
pyramidical habit with purple stems and scarlet fruit. Leaves have few spines and are a glossy dark shiny green
ILEX x altaclerensis 'Golden King'
female, gold edged leaf
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX aquifolium
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX aquifolium 'Argentea Marginata'
female, silver variegated
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX aquifolium 'Atlas'
male clone with dark green spiny leaves
ILEX aquifolium 'Bacciflava'
female. Yellow berries
ILEX aquifolium 'Ferox-Argentea'
male, creamy-white leaf margins on convoluted and puckered leaves with large spines
ILEX aquifolium 'Golden van Tol'
female. Pyramidal habit, yellow edged foliage and orange berries
ILEX aquifolium 'J.C. van Tol'
female. Dark but almost spineless green leaves and red fruits
ILEX aquifolium 'Pyramidalis'
self-fertile, narrowly conical, upright, female form
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX aquifolium 'Silver Queen'
male. Cream-edged leaf
ILEX x attenuata 'Sunny Foster'
small leaves, bronze at first. Turning yellow in summer. Red berries in autumn
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX crenata 'Golden Gem'
compact shrub with attractive yellowish leaves in winter and spring
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX dimorphophylla
upright small shrub with very spiny young foliage
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX x koehneana 'Chestnut Leaf'
purple new growth and thick leathery green leaves edged with spiny teeth. Red fruits
ILEX x meserveae 'Blue Prince'
male form with foliage so dark it appears blue in winter
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX x meserveae 'Blue Princess'
female. Free- berrying form of the above
ILEX mutchagara
female. Dense upright branching habit with smallish green leaves. Although a rare species it makes a good windbreak
ILEX perado subsp. platyphylla
very large leathery leaves, stems often black. An excellent coastal hedging plant
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX spinigera
female. Undulating and deeply spined leaves, orange-red berries
Gift-wrapping available
ILEX verticillata
deciduous shrub with good yellow autumn colour and bright red fruits. Plants supplied not sexed..
Useful extras...
