With their graphic silhouette, evergreen foliage and small decorative red berries in winter, holly are bushes that structure and enliven gardens year-round. Comprising more than 400 species, they offer a wide choice for gardener. They are easy to maintain if planted in shade for green-leaved holly and in sun for variegated-leaved ones, such as Ilex aquifolium 'Argenteomarginata'. Varying in size, they can reach heights from 30 cm to 10 metres. They tolerate pruning well and can be used as specimens on short grass meadow, pruned as topiary or planted as hedges. Discover our tips to prune holly.
Why prune holly?
As holly grows slowly, by 15 to 20 cm per year, pruning is not essential and should remain moderate. You can prune holly to open it up, removing dead, diseased or crossing branches, or to give it the shape you want: as a hedge, as topiary, as a ball or on a trunk.
When to prune?
Prune holly in March for a hedge using a pruning shear, a shear or a hedge trimmer to open it up. Carry out pruning before growth resumes and outside periods of frost.
We advise not to prune hedges between 15 March and 31 July to favour biodiversity, as well as bird and insect populations.
For a topiary, you can also prune it in June and September with a pruning shear, although this may remove fruit that appear in autumn.
How to prune holly?
Technique
- As holly foliage is thorny, protect yourself with gloves and suitable clothing.
- Disinfect tools with alcohol and sharpen if necessary the tools you will use to prune holly, to avoid transmission of diseases.
- Cut at an angle about 0.5 to 1 cm above a leaf or a bud.
- Remove dead or diseased branches.
- Prune to the shape you want. You can use a template as a guide. If you want to prune holly as topiary, discover our article: Topiary: when and how to prune them? For cloud pruning, find our tips in our article on Cloud pruning or niwaki.
How to form holly on a trunk?
- If you want to prune holly to obtain a trunk, identify the strongest shoot and remove every year the lateral branches and basal suckers at the base of the trunk.
- To obtain a straight trunk, you can fit a stake and tie holly trunk to it.
- Prune the crown into a ball or into the desired shape.
How to thicken up holly?
- Prune the tips of holly branches around March or early spring to help it thicken.
How to prune an old holly?
- Carry out a rejuvenation pruning by cutting old branches at the base of the bush. This stimulates growth of young shoots.
How to cut back holly?
- To cut back holly, cut all branches to 15 cm from the ground. This allows new branches to regrow. Discover our tips on How to cut back a bush?
Equipment
- Small pruning shear for small branches, heavy-duty curved-blade pruning shear or pruning saw for large branches.
- Shear or a hedge trimmer for hedges
- Thick glove to protect you from thorns
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