They are dark green, with a glossy finish. It needs moist soil to thrive and shouldn’t be allowed to dry out. Carissa holly (Ilex cornuta "Carissa") is a variety of holly shrub with a slow growth rate and coarse texture. Trees.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Yaupon holly (Ilex Vomitoria) is a small evergreen shrub that is characterized by its red berries and green leaves that create a wonderful landscape. Along with garlands and decorative accessories, one of the most popular and commonly used ornamental items is the stunning holly trees and shrubs. Spring, a variegated type with irregular bands of yellow on the leaves. Its trunk diameter typically reaches 20 inches and in rare cases, it can even go up to 47 inches. The red berries are often used in Christmas decorations along with the evergreen foliage that looks quite ethereal. This plant is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and will thrive in both wet or dry soils. The holly plant, with the shiny dark green leaves and prickly edges have been mentioned from pagan times when the Druids adorned themselves with holly as they entered the woods. Remember there are two different types of Holly plants, the evergreen types, and the deciduous types (the ones that lose their leaves in winter). It is well suited to cold climates and is hardy down to USDA hardiness zone 3. Holly is an ancient plant that has been used by former civilizations for decoration and ceremonial reasons. It has won the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society (Royal Horticultural Society). The bright red berries that make holly so attractive don’t grow on the male plants of many varieties. The foliage grows from dark purple stems, and is small, glossy, and very spiny, like a hedgehog. Other than the holy sentiments attached to the holly tree, the traditional holly (Ilex aquifolium) has always been admired for its bright red berries, and lush green foliage. This hybrid was both attractive and hardy. Holly can be evergreen or deciduous and range greatly in size and shape. Ilex cornuta Carissa Holly. Native to the US, this plant has a good tolerance of wet and soggy soils, so it is ideal for planting in boggy soils or along streams and riverbanks. are shrubs or small trees that grow in temperate zones around the world. They have about 100 different varieties, including several spectacular ones that are always high-yielding: variegated 'Golden King', dark-green 'J.C. This plant is a female species of holly and will need to be pollinated by a male blue holly in order to produce fruits. Its trees are blunt-tipped that grow up to 2-6 inches and often sport a beautiful dark green color. These are some of the most common and popular varieties of the holly tree, each with their unique characteristics, features and uses. Holly tree (llex ) is a member of the family of low-maintenance and evergreen plants, which can grow up from 12-inch bushes to 50 feet big trees. Furthermore, holly bushes grow back even after all their branches are cut off. A mix between a Chinese and English Holly, Nellie is admired for its glossy green foliage year-round and the radiant red berries that grow in the fall. Holly plants are big hedge bushes that create effective privacy screens that also add some security. Japanese holly grows in Japan, China and Korea, and is different in appearance to other hollies, because the leaves are much smaller – small enough that it is often called the box-leaf holly. The leaves sport a dark green color and their shape ranges from oval to elliptical. American Holly. These trees are commonly used in native plantings, as shrub borders, mass planting, and for fruit displays during the fall and winter season. Japanese Holly (I. crenata) Japanese hollies are generally softer in texture than Chinese hollies. It is these ink colored berries that give the plant its common name of ‘inkberry holly.’, Special Features: Architectural structure. Finetooth holly is commonly found in China and Japan and grows to an average height of 6 feet to 15 feet tall. It produces small green-white berries that can be pollinated with female flowers in order for those plants to fruit. They grow almost 6-15 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. In spring, an abundance of creamy green small flowers appears, which will develop into bright red berries on female trees. This is an incredibly decorative type of holly, the winter branches of which are commonly used as decorating throughout the festive season. At a mature height of between six and ten feet, with a spread of between four and five feet, this shrub works well as hedging and offers year-round interest. This variety is a slow-growing broadleaf and evergreen shrub that is quite easy to grow and offers a striking color in the winter season. They are produced on purple stems along with small white blooms in spring. They are commonly native to the British Isles, and southern and central Europe. Holly trees are dioecious, meaning there are both male and female trees. Firstly, the berries produced by Finetooth holly are smaller and secondly, it is a semi-evergreen tree which means that it doesn’t shed all its leaves during the winter months. The upper side of these dark green leaves is glossy while the underside gives off a paler green shade that is not so glossy. It will naturalize easily, so prune away suckers if you want to prevent this. These leaves will transform into a purple-yellow color in fall, before turning entirely yellow and falling to the ground. Specimen plants are usually tall and can stand alone as a focal plant. The flowers produced by this plant are often greenish white in color and they are usually formed in clusters of white with prominent green centers. They are generally dioecious, with male and female flowers on different plants. It is a round type of shrub with glossy dark green leaves that are often spiny, and bright red berries that offer a great contrast against the lush green foliage. Most of the Holly plants have separate male plants and female plants, and only the female plants will produce the berries. Chinese holly (I. cornuta) is one of the few types of holly shrubs that can actually produce berries without male pollination. Compared to other hollies, the Common Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is not an evergreen variety. Holly plants have many different leaf shapes and vary in size. There are 4 main types of ornamental hollies: Blue Holly - Ilex meserveae - these have the typical holly shaped leaves and are evergreen shrubs. It can grow well … This holly can adapt to almost any kind of soil and remains fully branched to the ground as it matures. All these unique and fascinating qualities of the holly tree eventually led the Druids to believe that the tree consisted of some magical and spiritual powers. You will have your pick of variety regardless of where you live or your climate. This shrub has a vigorous growth habit and will thrive in a wide range of soil types, though it prefers a well-draining and slightly acidic soil. They tolerate hot temperatures but sustain winter damage in areas colder than USDA plant hardiness zone 6. It thrives in a wide range of soils, including wet and boggy soil types. The tree is typically used to create informal hedges and can also be used for screening purposes in swampy areas. The flowers bloom in spring and are usually inconspicuous, and they come with bright red berries. As soon as the first frost of the winter season hits them, their purplish green foliage turns all black. Aquifoliaceae, the holly family, in the order Aquifoliales, found worldwide, comprising two genera and about 400 species of shrubs and trees, best known for the genus Ilex (see holly). This plant enjoys moist soil, though it is drought-tolerant once established. Holly trees and bushes encompass more than 400 plant species. It is often found growing in swamps or in the edges of the woods. Four species of Byronia are in the Polynesian and Australian area, and only one species of mountain holly (Nemopanthus mucronatus) is… Different types of holly have varying care needs, with some being drought-tolerant and some preferring boggy soil. This tree is often even referred to as ‘box-leaved holly’ due to the fact that its leaves are quite similar in appearance to those of boxwood shrubs. The right height for a low hedge or border, Carissa may also be grown as a container plant. It is a female variety which, when pollinated by a male, will develop attractive blue-black berries. English Holly is a tall, evergreen tree with stunning foliage that is glossy and leathery. Many shrubs will produce fruit that you can eat. The tree is densely branched and has a beautiful symmetry to it. It is often used in place of English holly, especially in Christmas decorations. van Tol' and the large-berried 'Firecracker'. Its bark is generally smooth with some lenticels and often sports a dark gray to brown color. A bush less than two feet from a house can threaten the foundation, given enough time. Growing conditions: Plant in areas with moist, well-drained and slightly acidic soil. Tiny white flowers appear on this female holly bush in the spring, which will develop into bright red round berries in the fall if the blooms were pollinated by a male holly bush. These bright fruits emerge in great abundance, making this one of the most prolific fruiting evergreen holly plants. The lifespan of the Hawaiian holly extends up to more than 5 years and are considered to be one of those long-lived trees. The plants do best in a partial to full sun site. They grow to an average height of 15 feet a 10-foot spread. This is a deciduous species that grows really well sandy soils, which is primarily why it is often called by its other common name ‘sand holly’. This bush is easy to take care of and makes a wonderful addition to the winter garden. The main reason behind the belief was that unlike many other plant and tree species, holly remained exceptionally strong and green. Like all holly plants, the American holly tree is dioecious, which means that a plant will either be male or female. The Ilex genus that includes hollies is a very broad one, ranging from cultivars like 'Helleri' that function as ground covers, to Ilex opaca, which can grow as high as 50 feet. This compact male holly shrub has an upright habit. Christmas Tree Economics: Are Baby Boomers Killing the Christmas Tree Industry? Related: Types of Germander | Types of Eucalyptus Trees | Types of Rhododendrons, 12 Different Types of Holly Bushes and Trees, Different Varieties of Holly Bushes and Trees. The most striking feature of these trees is their brightly colored fruit that grows on purple stems and provides a breathtaking contrast against the dense, blue-green foliage throughout the entire winter season. Types of Holly Leaves. These evergreen hollies are native to Puerto Rico, Caribbean on the Bahamas, Cuba, southeastern coast of North America and Virginia to Southeast Texas. Foliage is dark deep green, with a creamy white margin around the outer edges. The dark green spiny leaves have a glossy texture and keep their color throughout every season. This variety of holly gets its name from its creator, Mrs. F. Leighton Meserve from New York. Holly plant is attractive and valuable for its bright leaves and colorful berries. The berries persist all through winter, looking exceptionally striking on the skeletal frame of the tree once all the leaves have dropped. It needs to be grown in acidic soil, as these plants grown in neutral or alkaline soils tend to struggle and die. Most often, these shrubs require a male and a female plant to produce berries on the female plants. Scientific Name: Ilex aquifolium ‘Ferox Argentea’. These trees produce small white-green colored flowers that appear on the plant sometime during late March or early April. 4. The berries of this tree are a stunning bright and glossy red that adds great beauty to the entire winter landscape; however, these species are not used as commonly as the rest for Christmas holiday decorations. Holly bushes grow to be quite large. Traditional English holly has a pale yellow stripe around the edges, while other varieties of the cultivar have different variegation in color. This is a female cultivar that belongs to the blue holly group and is marked by its dark green leaves that are super glossy, moderately spiny and give off a kind of a bluish cast. The different types of hollies in this group include Burfordii, which is one of the most popular cultivars for hedges, and O. The type species is the European holly Ilex aquifolium described by Linnaeus. Edible Shrubs. This shrub has slender evergreen foliage from which masses of tiny greenish-white flowers bloom in late spring and early summer. Mrs. Meserve used two different types of hollies, Ilex Rogusa (which was strong but not very attractive) and Ilex Aquifolium (which was attractive but not very hardy) and created a hybrid in the early 1960s. The branches are densely packed together and adorned with tiny leather-like leaves, which are bright medium green in color. The foliage is deep green, narrow, and smooth-edged, with tips that are flushed with red in spring. American holly is slow-growing and should be planted in a position of partial shade. Coming from the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Holly is typically found in wet forests and mixed mesic areas. Hollies (Ilex spp.) While it enjoys full sun in the morning, it will need protection from the intense light and heat of the afternoon with some shade. A compact, dense bush with medium green, glossy foliage. Ever looked closely at the beautiful decorations that are found almost everywhere during the festive Christmas season? Both male and female holly plants will produce an abundance of greenish-white flowers in spring, but only those on a female holly that have been pollinated by a male will develop into showy berries. Special Features: Winter hardy to low temperatures. A popular specimen holly is the Highclere (Ilex x altaclerensis), which reaches 20 to 30 feet in a handsome pyramid shape, is cold tolerant and has large red berries. They come in a range of s… Dwarf Holly Bushes . This species of holly is also called Michigan holly, Canada holly, fever bush, and black alder. The number of species of shrubs is as numerous as it can get. Carolina Holly (Ilex ambigua) Carolina holly is one of the deciduous species of holly. The inconspicuous flower is greenish white, with four petals. With those smaller leaves it is ideal for smaller specimens and hedges, leaving the bigger hedges to … Hollies are truly iconic plants that are often associated with symbols of hope and rebirth. This narrow holly shrub has a pyramid shape that works well in containers or as a standalone specimen plant. The tree itself reaches an average height of 15-50 feet while the dark green leaves attain a length of 1-3 inches. Holly shrubs have a neat, compact growth that is ideal for narrow hedgerows. The leaves of this tree are quite glossy and oval in shape with fine-toothed margins. A male plant must grow within 30 to 40 feet of a female for good fruit production. It produces stiff yellow green leaves that are shiny o the top and a dull matte towards the bottom. This is where the holly gets its botanical species name of Ilex vomitoria. These common shrubs grow to an average height of 30 to 40 feet and prefer full sun to partial shade for successful growth. Also known as ‘meadow holly,’ this is a loosely branched tree that forms a wide, open, rounded shape. Many have the classic red holly berries, which have become associated with holly for ages. This holly has red berries and is also on the small side, growing as a tree and reaching maximum heights of 15 feet. 8 Types of Laurel Flowers (Care Guides & Photos), 8 Dwarf Shrubs For Small Gardens & Spaces, 7 Best Plants For Hedges (Pictures & Growing Information), Red Tip Photinia Plants - Our Best Tips to Grow and Care For Fraser's photinia. Their unique name is a reference to the fruits produced by this plant and its other name ‘gallberry’ has been derived from the fact that once upon a time, black ink was made with the help of galls of oaks. The compact form is rounded to create a dense mound. People also used to extract the juice out of fresh holly leaves as a treatment for extreme jaundice. It prefers moist soil, but it does have some tolerance against drought when established. Perhaps, if you have ever properly listened to the numerous Christmas carols that people sings throughout this holiday season, you would have noticed that one of them is called “The Holly and the Ivy”. 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