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lizcar_gw

HELP Hollys??

LizCar
9 years ago

Hi I want to plant a hedge/border around part of my property. I really love the Steven Nellie Holly but it gets TOOOO tall for what I want. Is there another good Holly that is as resistant with flowering and berries that stays smaller that can be kept at about a 3-5 foot height?? Thanks in advance. :)

Comments (2)

  • Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
    9 years ago

    Yes,

    But we need to know where you live as holly varieties have different hardinesses.

    That said, if you have Nellie Stevens in your region, it is a reliable 7a, possibly 6B variety. So if we assume you are in 7a, you can certainly consider:

    ⢠Dwarf Burford (red berries). This may well be your best choice as plants are readily available and cheap.

    ⢠'Needlepoint' might work, but will require regular shearing.

    ⢠Ilex x 'Spartan', if you can find it.

    ⢠Any of the so called 'Blue hollies' (Meserve Hybrids) such as Blue Maid, Castle Wall and Spire, Blue Princess, etc. (red berries) They do better berry production with a pollinator in general. Plants readily available and cheap.

    ⢠Cherry Bomb. Nice large berries. Will likely need some pruning each season once established. Very few spines.

    ⢠Ilex crenata - Japanese hollies -- these look more like boxwoods. 'Steeds', 'Convexa', 'Compacta', 'Chesepeake', 'Schwoebel' etc. (black berries). Plants readily available and cheap.

    ⢠Also consider Viburnum 'Conoy'. It can get some nice red berries as well. May be hard to locate. 'Pragense' is nice and hardy (& deer resistant), but I'm not sure it berries up at all.

    Just curious about what you mean by 'resistant' though. Many of our hollies got camellias scale after this cold winter. Perhaps stressed plants were more vulnerable?

    This post was edited by dave_in_nova on Fri, Aug 22, 14 at 8:21

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    no plant stops growing at some magical height ...

    most size estimates are at 10 years ...

    and you may presume they will be twice as big at 20 years ...

    you google for annual growth rates of the latin name ... to predict how fast something will grow ... e.g. if it grows a foot per year.. it isnt going to stay 3 feet high very long ... where as.. if it grows 3 inches per year.. it will stay tame much longer ...

    try to avoid.. planting a monoculture ... just in case some threat comes around.. and wipes out the one plant you relied upon ... you really dont mention how long.. or how massive a planting you are talking about ...

    many states offer annual plant sales.. thru their soil conservation district offices ... this would be a great plant to buy small.. cheap plants.. if this is a large job ...

    it would be very helpful.. for you to tell us.. where you are... when you ask for plant suggestions.. sometimes it matters .... as dave noted

    ken

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