Ilex aquifolium Handsworth New Silver - Common Holly

Ilex aquifolium ‘Handsworth New Silver’ is a variety of common holly variegated with creamy white, which structures, brightens, and animates the garden all year round. It is a female variety that fruits abundantly when a male common holly grows nearby; its red berries, set against its magnificent foliage, are decorative in winter. This large shrub for partial shade will find its place in an evergreen hedge or as a standalone specimen.

From the Aquifoliaceae family (which contains only hollies), this cultivar may also be found under the synonym Ilex aquifolium ‘Handsworth Silver’. The species, the common holly, is native to Europe (including France and the British Isles) and into Western Asia. It grows in woodland understories, on edges, and in moist, well-drained ravines. The name Ilex adopts the Latin designation for holly; aquifolium means "acute leaf". ‘Handsworth New Silver’ is a British horticultural selection dating from the 19th century (around 1850), maintained by cuttings/grafting; it has received the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) from the RHS. ‘Handsworth New Silver’ is cited in British horticultural floras as one of the best white-margined hollies.
This bush is dense, naturally pyramidal to conical, even bushy. Its growth is slow to moderate; at maturity, it measures 5 to 8 m tall with a spread of 2.50 to 4 m. At 10 years old, expect a height of 2 m and a width of 1.50 m. The evergreen leaves are elliptical to oblong, spiny at the margin, measuring up to 9 cm long; the dark green leaf is broadly margined with cream to white. In May-June, small, white, nectar-rich and lightly scented flowers are produced in the leaf axils. The berries are globular drupes of 5-6 mm, which become bright red in autumn and often persist into winter. The bark of this shrub turns grey with age; the young shoots are beautifully coloured reddish-purple. The root system is initially shallow, then deepens; large specimens are known to be delicate to transplant. ‘Handsworth New Silver’ is female; a plant of Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Queen’, male, will allow good fruiting.

Use this holly ‘Handsworth New Silver’ in an informal hedge, spacing plants 1.50 to 2 m apart depending on the desired density, or as a standalone specimen. Its beautiful variegation and red fruits catch the eye in winter. It pairs well with winter-flowering shrubs or those with coloured wood. Choose, for example, Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’, Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ and Sarcococca confusa. At their base, plant purple Hellebores or a small evergreen fern like Polypodium vulgare.
Common holly, an emblematic European tree, has been used for centuries for winter decoration. This bush can find a refuge on north-facing slopes, in the shade of the coolest woodland understories.