Holly :Christmas Beauty All Year Round
by: Liz Roberts

Holly looks beautiful decorating our homes during this time of year. Yet it’s always sad when the holidays end and it has to come down. You don’t have to miss holly if you plant the tree in your yard. The dark leafy, beauty can be enjoyed year round from spring to summer to fall.

Holly has been part of a home’s landscape since ancient times. The Gaels or Celts used this indigenous plant (it’s native to Ireland) to protect themselves against lightening, poison and evil spirits. It was also planted alongside of homes to protect against mischievous sorcerers. Nowadays you can plant holly simply for its’ elegant look (unless you live in the vicinity of Hogwarts and in that case – cut down on that pesky sorcerer problem)

Holly trees tolerate indirect sun or shade. The more sunlight exposure will cause a denser leaved tree. Holly, like most other evergreens, requires its’ soil to be well drained, slightly acidic and fertile. It needs to be protected by other, larger shade trees around to shield it from harsh winter winds or direct summer sunlight. The holly will be destroyed without them.

The ideal planting time is the early spring before new growths appear on the balled or burlapped trees.

Holly trees can be either male or female. The sex can be determined by their flowers(unfortunately holly takes anywhere from eight to ten years to blossom). Female blossoms have a large green pistil in their centers with rudimentary stamens while the male flowers have small pistils and large stamens. For everyone male there should be three females planted within a 100 yard radius. This ensures better pollination. (done by bees).

Mulch the tree with a 2 to 4 inch layer of wood chips, sawdust, pine needles, ground bark or any other coarse organic covering. A thick mulch will keep the roots cool and moist and minimize disturbences (which could be bad). Holly trees do not like to be disturbed and will do better without having soil cultivated around them. They will drop older leaves due to transplant shock. Don’t worry. New foliage will sprout soon, filling in the bare branches.

Be careful not to over water. It is important to keep the soil moist during the summer growing season, but allow it to dry out during the early fall. This allows for the new growths to mature enough to resist any winter damage.

Feeding should be done in the early spring and the late autumn. Use a fertilizer formulated for acid loving broad leaved evergreens (try cottonseed meal or rhododendron fertilizer) If you have to prune them , always do it in the early spring before any new growths begins.

Try to trim your holly tree into a symmetrical shape so that it is aesthetically appealing.

There are many different types of holly to choose from that do well in different climates.

The traditional English holly (Ilex aquifolium) is perfect for those wanting to create classical landscapes. It has dark green leaves with waxy spiny margins or edges. This feature distinguishes it from other hollies. It is a slow grower but does reach impressive heights ranging between 30 and 50 feet. The English holly tree can tolerate soot and pollution and can thrive in any urban setting. It is vulnerable to the leaf miner, a type of borer that lays its’ eggs within leaf veins. Adult leaf miners emerge from the holly leaves in May, dropping out of self made slits in the leaves’ undersides. These nuisances cause leaves to turn yellow and drop off.

Insecticide must be employed in the form of soil injections. Remember to keep the soil moist when doing this. The insecticide will be soaked up into the roots, acting like an “antibiotic” for the holly. Also collect the fallen, diseased leaves and burn them immediately. Most likely there will still be leaf miners in them, waiting to jump onto healthy leaves.

Southerners can even enjoy a warm climate holly such as the Yaupon variety (Ilex vomitoria – the names comes from the fact that eating the leaves induces vomiting).This holly grows fast and sports small, spineless, rounded leaves. Unlike other kinds, the Yaupon’s leaves grown in purple and then turn deep green. The female produces not the traditional red but scarlet berries from the fall until the winter. This holly tree can tolerate excess heat and drought. Yaupons need to be pruned on a regular basis to control their shape and size.

If you live in either the South on along the East Coast, then consider planting the American holly (Ilex opaca). It is a slow grower but reaches its’ final height of 30 feet high and 20 feet wide, making it an excellent fence or border tree. The American holly is a dense, pyramid shaped tree, but the branches become more open as it ages. The leaves are spiny edged and sharp. Its’ Gables variety only come in the male sex and bear no fruit. With other types of the American holly, remember to plant one male for every three females. Plant these away from drying winds; in moist, loose, acidic soil. Prune in winter if needed.

For a different look, try the Japanese holly (Ilex crenata). It is a slow growing evergreen shrub with spineless, round 1 inch leaves. The female produces black instead of red berries in the fall. Since Japanese hollies are used as low, decorative hedges, shear them biannually, in late winter and again in midsummer. Even if you choose to use it as an informal hedge, remove any long or stray twigs for a neater appearance. Do this by cutting the twigs back to the branch. Plant Japanese holly in light, moist , well drained , acidic soil. Check for spider mites who love to thrive on its’ branches and leaves.

The Japanese holly’s cousin , the Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta) is another good choice for a landscape. It may not be a quick grower but it does reach heights of 25 feet. It is also tough and durable and can grow in either the suburbs or the city. Females do not need a nearby male to help reproduce. The Chinese holly has berries in both various shades of red and yellow. Its’ leaves are rigid and waxy greenish yellow in appearance, pleasantly contrasting with its’ silver gray bark. The Chinese holly can be frequently pruned though out the year except in late summer through early fall. Fertilize it frequently. It is highly susceptible to scale. ( sucking insects that drain the plant).

The holly is a beautiful tree, perfect not only for the winter but for the entire year. Plant one in your yard and enjoy it for Christmas, but also for every day of the year.