| When we envision "Christmas holly", we think of bright red berries in clusters held close to the stem, and shiny green leaves with scalloped edges and prickly points. 
Ilex × meserveae 'Blue Princess' – Photo: Monique Paré
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Guest post by Kelly Noel, Ottawa-Carleton Master Gardeners |
There are many species of holly, but the one that best fits this description is Ilex aquifolium, commonly called English holly.
It is evergreen and the berries appear late in the fall and persist well into winter, so it is a very showy red and green in December. That has made it, like the poinsettia, a favourite holiday decoration.
English holly thrives in its native Mediterranean climate where it is a very large tree, but it will not survive the winter anywhere in Canada except the mildest Pacific regions.
It is evergreen and the berries appear late in the fall and persist well into winter, so it is a very showy red and green in December. That has made it, like the poinsettia, a favourite holiday decoration.
English holly thrives in its native Mediterranean climate where it is a very large tree, but it will not survive the winter anywhere in Canada except the mildest Pacific regions.
There are other hollies of varying hardiness, but not all of them have the characteristic spiny leaves and their berries may be blue or black or even white. Hollies also come in a great range of sizes – from large trees to shrubs and prostrate ground covers. Most are evergreen, but a few are deciduous.
All hollies are dioecious – a word which comes from the Greek for "two houses". It means that
female and male flowers are on separate plants. Only the female plants will bear fruit and there must be a male somewhere in the vicinity in bloom at the same time so pollination is possible. There are a few types that can produce some berries without pollination, but even in those cultivars, the berry crop is better if a male is present.
All hollies are dioecious – a word which comes from the Greek for "two houses". It means that
female and male flowers are on separate plants. Only the female plants will bear fruit and there must be a male somewhere in the vicinity in bloom at the same time so pollination is possible. There are a few types that can produce some berries without pollination, but even in those cultivars, the berry crop is better if a male is present.
Evergreen leaves of Ilex X meservae contrast with snow – Photo: Mary Ann Van Berlo Hybridizers have crossed English holly with Ilex rugosa and Ilex cornuta, two smaller and hardier, but less attractive shrubs.
The goal was to develop an evergreen holly with the preferred spiny leaves and red berries, but small enough to be used in the home landscape and hardy enough to survive colder winters.
The goal was to develop an evergreen holly with the preferred spiny leaves and red berries, but small enough to be used in the home landscape and hardy enough to survive colder winters.
The "blue" hollies (Ilex X meservae) belong to this group of hybrids. (See top image.) They are compact shrubs with a bluish cast to their foliage and hardy to Zone 5, possibly Zone 4.
Most local nurseries sell both male and female cultivars, and occasionally, both sexes are grouped into one container, looking like one plant. The surest way to know that you have a female is to buy one bearing berries.
In most Ottawa locations, these blue hollies will do best if given some protection from the winter sun and wind, which seems unfortunate given that winter is the season of highest interest for these plants.
Most local nurseries sell both male and female cultivars, and occasionally, both sexes are grouped into one container, looking like one plant. The surest way to know that you have a female is to buy one bearing berries.
In most Ottawa locations, these blue hollies will do best if given some protection from the winter sun and wind, which seems unfortunate given that winter is the season of highest interest for these plants.
Red berries of Ilex verticillata (winterberry) make a bold statement – Photo: Mary Ann Van Berlo A native alternative is winterberry (I. verticillata).
It is a small shrub, hardy to Zone 3 so does not need winter protection. Its leaves do not have spiny margins and it is deciduous, but it does have bright red berries which persist on the bare branches through the winter.
It is a small shrub, hardy to Zone 3 so does not need winter protection. Its leaves do not have spiny margins and it is deciduous, but it does have bright red berries which persist on the bare branches through the winter.
Whether you purchase cut branches of English holly or gather some winterberry branches, the red berries provide a punch of colour to winter arrangements. Do make sure that your children do not feed these poisonous berries to themselves or your pets!
This article appears in the December 2013 issue of Trowel Talk, the newsletter of the Ottawa-Carleton Master Gardeners. Visit this MG group online to browse back issues and learn about upcoming events.
Republished on There Blooms a Garden with thanks.
Republished on There Blooms a Garden with thanks.
