Common holly/Holly Ilex aquifolium
- Common holly/Holly Latin name
- Ilex aquifolium Common name
- Common holly/Holly Plant family
- Common holly/Holly Description
- Holly varieties
- Common holly/Holly Planting preferences
- Common holly/Holly Uses
Common holly/Holly Latin name
Ilex aquifolium
Ilex aquifolium Common name
Common holly/Holly
Common holly/Holly Plant family
Ilex (Aquifoliaceae) – varieties of evergreen or deciduous trees and shrubs grown for their spiky foliage, small white flowers followed by colourful Autumnal berries. To obtain berries you need a female plant and a male plant.
Common holly/Holly Description
Category: Shrubs or trees
Form: Very upright and dense
Type: Evergreen
Height: 10 metres – shrubs 5 metres
Spread: 5 metres
Leaves: Dark green, wavy-edged, spiny, glossy leaves
Flowers/berries: Small white flowers in Spring followed by colourful Autumn berries (for berries you need both a female plant and a male plant)
Normally grown for: Spiky foliage, small white flowers and colourful Winter berries
Notes: Vulnerable to Holly-leaf miner and Holly aphid. for Hollies to produce berries you need to grow both a female plant and a male plant
Holly varieties
Variegated holly – Typical species include: Ilex aquifolium 'Silver milkmaid' – Female shrub (syn: 'Milkboy') creamy white leaves edged in dark green/Ilex aquifolium 'Silver queen' – Male shrub with dark green leaves edged in creamy white/Ilex aquifolium' Argentea marginata' – Female tree with dark green leaves finely edged in creamy white/Ilex aquifolium 'Aurifondina' – Female shrub with dark green leaves tipped creamy white (pendulous variety also exists).
Spineless-leaved (or almost) holly – Typical male & female species include: Ilex altaclarensis varieties – fairly rigid, virtually smooth-edged leaves/Ilex chinensis varieties – long dark green leaves with soft teeth, produces lavender coloured flowers/Ilex dipyrena Himalayan holly – leaves becoming spineless with age/Ilex pedunculosa – dark green spineless leaves.
Interesting berried holly – Typical (female) species include: Ilex altaclarensis 'Belgica' – Produces orange red berries/Ilex laevigata Smooth winterberry – Produces orange/red berries/Ilex macrocarpa – Produces large black berries/Ilex verticallata Winterberry – Produces a profusion of long-lasting red berries.
Small holly – Typical species include: Ilex crenata Box-leaved holly/Japanese holly – Evergreen spreading shrub/Ilex altaclarensis 'Golden king' – Female, colourful, bushy shrub/Ilex altaclarensis 'NF Barnes' – Female dense shrub with spine-tipped leaves/Ilex aquifolium Perry's weeping silver – Slow-growing mottle-leaved female tree/Ilex aquifolium 'Ferox' Hedgehog holly – Male shrub whose leaves are totally covered with spines.
Common holly/Holly Planting preferences
Hardiness: Fully to frost hardy
Soil type: Needs fertile well-drained soil
Planting situation: Sun to partial shade
Common holly/Holly Uses
Cuttings – especially for red Winter berries
Feature – especially the variegated varieties
Fruit/Berries – non-edible
Hedges/windbreaks
Rock gardens – small varieties,