Shrub · Tree
Ilex aquifolium
Holly
Classic evergreen with glossy, spiny leaves and bright red winter berries on female plants; superb for birds.
- Full shade, Full sun, Partial shade
- 8–15 m (26–49 ft)
- 4–8 m (13–26 ft)
- H6 · Zone 6
- May–June
- Evergreen
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
Overview
Holly is a slow-growing evergreen tree or shrub native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. Glossy, wavy, spiny dark leaves are joined in late spring by small white flowers, and female plants carry bright red berries through winter if a male grows nearby.
It is hardy to about −20°C (−4°F) in the RHS rating, USDA zones 6–8, and grows in almost any soil, in sun or deep shade, including coastal and exposed sites. It dislikes hot, humid summers and is not reliable in the south-eastern United States.
Birds spread the seed, and it is invasive in the Pacific Northwest of North America and parts of Australia.
At a Glance
Growing Conditions
Aspect Suitability
- East-facing
- South-facing
- West-facing
Site Tolerance
- Exposed sites
- Wind
- Coastal
Soil Tolerance
- Clay
- Chalk
- Sandy
- Loam
- Acid
- Neutral pH
- Alkaline
Foliage
Foliage interest: 12 months of the year
Seasonal Timeline
- Flowering May Jun
- Foliage 12 months of the year
- Fruiting Jan Feb Oct Nov Dec
- Propagate Aug Sep Oct
How to propagate
Ways to grow more Holly: the usual steps for each method.
Semi-ripe cuttings Aug–Sep Takes a little care
You'll need: Clean, sharp secateurs, small pots, gritty compost, and rooting powder if you have it.
- Choose this year's shoots that are firm at the base but still soft at the tip, and cut pieces 10 to 15 cm long.
- Trim just below a leaf joint and take off the lower leaves; pinch out the soft tip.
- Dip the cut end in rooting powder if you have some.
- Push them into pots of gritty compost, water them in and cover with a clear bag.
- Keep them in a cold frame, greenhouse or bright windowsill out of direct sun.
- How long
- Roots in about 6 to 10 weeks.
- It's worked when
- New leaves, and the cutting resists when you tug it gently.
- Then
- Keep them somewhere cool and frost-free over winter, and pot them up separately in spring.
From seed Mar–May Easy
You'll need: Seed compost, a seed tray or small pots, labels, and a clear lid or plastic bag.
- Fill a tray or pots with seed compost, level it and firm it gently.
- Water the compost and let it drain.
- Sow the seeds thinly on top. Cover them with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite about as deep as the seed is big; leave tiny seeds uncovered.
- Label them, cover with a clear lid or bag, and keep them somewhere bright but out of hot sun.
- Keep the compost just moist, and take the cover off once seedlings appear.
- How long
- Usually comes up in 1 to 3 weeks.
- It's worked when
- Seedlings with their first pair of leaves.
- Then
- When each has its first true leaves, prick them out into their own small pots, holding them by a leaf, never the stem. Harden them off for a week or two before planting out.
Seedlings may be male or female; cuttings from a berrying plant give berries.
Garden Design
Works well in: Cottage, Wildlife-friendly, Woodland / Shade
Plant a male nearby for berries on female plants; a superb dense, prickly hedge for birds.
Companion planting: Native hedging, Winter shrubs, Ivy
Wildlife Value
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Birds
- Shelter
- Food source
- RHS Plants for Pollinators
- Caterpillar food plant
- Nesting cover for birds
- Food
Caterpillars it feeds: Holly blue, Yellow-barred brindle, Double-striped pug
Food for birds: January, February, November, December