Ilex x meserveae MAGICAL Little Rascal Mondo - Blue Holly

Ilex (x) merseveae Magical Little Rascal (Mondo) is an adorable dwarf cultivar of the Meserve Holly, well-suited for small spaces. This small evergreen shrub, less than one metre tall, with a lovely rounded and branched habit, bears a beautiful, dense foliage which is shiny dark green in colour and that turns purple with metallic reflections in winter, due to the cold. With numerous fine spines, it is actually not prickly and rather soft to the touch. It is well-suited for pruning, to create a regular ball or a majestic cone in the hands of a patient gardener, but it also shines when allowed to grow freely in a shrub bed to create the permanent structure of the garden.

The Meserve Holly is a horticultural hybrid obtained in the United States in 1964. It is a cross between Ilex aquifolium, the common holly of our forests, and Ilex rugosa, an almost prostrate Japanese species with rough-textured leaves. Perfectly hardy, this plant generally dislikes the presence of limestone in the soil. All these shrubs belong to the Aquifoliaceae family.

The 'Little Rascal' variety, which only produces male flowers, is a recent horticultural variety. This slow-growing shrub naturally has a rounded, dense, and regular habit. It reaches an average height of 80cm (31.5 in) at maturity, with a width of 90cm (35.4 in). It is also distinguished by its tough, oval, finely toothed and beautifully glossy leaves, which are light green when they first emerge, then become very dark green, and finally turn purple. All hollies are dioecious plants, meaning there are male and female flowers on separate plants. Only female flowers produce fruits, which are highly valued for their ornamental value. The Little Rascal holly produces small, insignificant but honey-producing flowers in spring, with a white-greenish color. Distinguishing the sex of the flowers requires a trained eye; they all have four white petals with purple tips, and their surface is waxy, but male flowers can be recognized by their four prominent yellow anthers, while female flowers have a short, oval green pistil. The same shrub can produce both male and female flowers, which cannot be pollinated. The seeds are dispersed by birds, who love the fruits.

The 'Little Rascal' holly is a slow-growing plant that plays a key role in the garden or on the terrace in winter, even in limited spaces. It can successfully replace boxwood in low hedges, but prefers limestone free soil. It can be planted in large borders or mixed with similarly sized shrubs to create the permanent structure of the garden: Mexican orange blossom, Nandina domestica, Myrtus tarentina, and Sarcococca can accompany it, for example, in an attractive, all year round, planting mix. It primarily dislikes excessive limestone, which causes its beautiful foliage to turn yellow, and prefers deep, fairly fertile soils. Hardy well beyond -15°C, it likes semi-shaded to sunny spots, such as under trees or on the edge of woodlands, in a large natural garden. 

Hollies are both beloved and little-known plants. The genus includes nearly 800 deciduous or evergreen species, generally native to the temperate northern hemisphere. These ancient plants have experienced glacial periods and dry, hot periods in our climatic history, making them extremely adaptable and resistant. Their wood, white to cream, is very low in water, even when green. It is dense and heavy, but soft and easy to work with in cabinetmaking. It is also an excellent fuel for heating, even when green. Finally, their foliage and berries (inedible) are rich in caffeine. A tea is prepared with their leaves in the Black Forest.