Hollies for low hedges

Ilex crenata 'Green Lustre'

Originating from Japan, the crenate holly, Ilex crenata, very different from common holly, is an evergreen bush with non-thorny, small, ovate leaves, resembling boxwood. It is used as a substitute for boxwood, which is suffering from the infamous box tree moth that is decimating its population. It grows quite slowly, but a bit faster than boxwood.

The Ilex crenata ‘Green Lustre’ is a small variety of crenate holly, much wider than it is tall. It reaches about 90 cm in height at 10 years, with a width of 1.6 m. It can replace boxwood in cool, non-calcareous soils that are rather rich and light. It tolerates pruning very well and, with its small, dense, and compact foliage, along with its bushy and ramified habit, can form low hedges. It is adorned with dark green, glossy foliage. It prefers partial shade.

Ilex crenata ‘Green Lustre’

Ilex crenata 'Stokes'

Ilex crenata ‘Stokes’, similar to the previous one, is also perfect for creating a monospecific hedge. It features glossy dark green foliage, but it is even smaller, as it reaches 50 cm in height and 70 cm in width at ripeness. It can be pruned or left free, thus forming a very low hedge of green holly, suitable for borders or small gardens, in partial shade.

The crenate holly is quite resistant to diseases and hardy down to at least -20° C. Female plants, pollinated by male specimens, produce small black drupes in autumn, which are loved by birds but are not edible for humans.

Ilex crenata ‘Stokes’

Ilex crenata 'Convexed Gold'

Ilex crenata ‘Convexed Gold’ can reach a height of 80 cm at ripeness and spread 50 to 60 cm if grown freely. Its tiny leaves, measuring 1 cm long, are glossy and leathery, slightly crenate and golden, giving them a lovely rounded appearance. They have a beautiful yellow hue during the bud burst period in spring, then turn slightly green in summer. Like all varieties with golden foliage, this holly requires a sunnier exposure to enhance this lovely colour.

To create a hedge, prune the crenate holly once or twice a year: first in early summer, and possibly again in September-October.

Ilex crenata ‘Convexed Gold’

Ilex crenata 'Golden Gem'

Ilex crenata ‘Golden Gem’ is a female variety with bright, well-golden foliage from autumn to spring and greener in summer. Its tiny leaves, measuring 1 cm long, are ovate, slightly glossy, and well-golden at the bud burst period. It stands out in winter when other plants are dormant and often display dark green foliage. It is a slow-growing bush, particularly during the establishment phase which lasts 2 to 3 years. When unpruned, its silhouette forms a wide cushion with its branches growing horizontally. As an adult, it reaches 80 cm to 1 m in height and spreads 1 m to 1.5 m. Its bushy habit is very ramified, dense, and low.

Ilex crenata ‘Golden Gem’

Ilex crenata 'Lingold'

The Ilex crenata ‘Lingold’ features variegated foliage, with its glossy leaves displaying a dark green and golden yellow colour throughout the year, creating a very bright effect in the garden, in partial shade where its colour stands out more, or in non-burning sunlight. Naturally having a rounded habit, it reaches 1 m in all directions at ripeness. For a neat display with pronounced golden yellow hues, it can be pruned 1 or 2 times a year and shaped into a low, single-species or mixed hedge with other dwarf bushes.

Ilex crenata ‘Lingold’

Ilex meserveae 'Gentle'

Ilex x meserveae is a holly quite different from Ilex crenata. It is a hybrid produced in the United States between a Japanese species, Ilex rugosa, and Ilex aquifolium, our common holly. Evergreen, it produces leaves that are often ovate, glossy, and dentate, generally non-spiny. Like Ilex crenata, it prefers cool, non-calcareous soils. It thrives in partial shade or in non-burning sunlight. Its various cultivars develop compact habits.

TheIlex meserveae ‘Gentle’ is a male variety. It does not produce fruit, which can be considered advantageous in gardens with children. However, it develops a delicate spring flowering with small white-pink flowers that emerge from red buds. Its ornamental leaves are tough, ovate, finely dentate, and beautifully glossy. They are light green at bud burst in spring, very dark green afterwards, and then turn purple in autumn, due to the cold, with metallic highlights. This is a variety with many advantages. Very slow-growing, it reaches about 70 cm in height and 50 cm in spread at maturity. It lends itself well to pruning for creating borders, but if left unpruned, it structures the garden alongside other dwarf bushes.

Ilex meserveae ‘Gentle’