- 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 FeaturesGood 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


ILEX aquifolium


ILEX aquifolium 'Argentea Marginata'
female, silver variegated

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


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


ILEX crenata 'Golden Gem'
compact shrub with attractive yellowish leaves in winter and spring

ILEX dimorphophylla
upright small shrub with very spiny young foliage


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


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

ILEX spinigera
female. Undulating and deeply spined leaves, orange-red berries

ILEX verticillata
deciduous shrub with good yellow autumn colour and bright red fruits. Plants supplied not sexed..
Useful extras...


