Plants in genus ilex
Ilex crenata 'Helleri'
Ilex crenata 'Helleri' is a dwarf evergreen shrub with a naturally rounded shape, ideal for privacy hedges, low borders, and mass plantings. It features dark green foliage, springtime white flowers, and small black berries in fall, attracting birds and wildlife. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant grows 3-4 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide, thriving in USDA zones 6-9.
Ilex paraguariensis
Native to South America, this evergreen plant has glossy, deep green leaves used to make yerba mate tea. It grows 6 to 8 feet in height and thrives in USDA zones 9-11. The plant prefers partial shade and regular watering, growing best in well-draining, loamy soil.
Ilex opaca
Ilex opaca, commonly known as American holly, is a native evergreen tree or shrub with a natural pyramidal shape and dark green, spiny leaves. It thrives in USDA zones 5 to 9, preferring slightly acidic, moist, well-drained soil, and can tolerate moderate drought once established. Female plants produce bright red berries from September to November, which provide food and shelter for birds. This plant is pest and disease resistant and can be pruned in early spring to maintain its shape. It requires a male plant nearby for pollination to produce berries.
Ilex 'Low Rider'
Ilex 'Low Rider' is a compact evergreen shrub with petite, dark green leaves and a naturally rounded shape, reaching 3-4 feet in height and width. This holly is perfect for hard trimming and topiary forms, being disease and insect resistant. It tolerates clay soil and salt, making it a hardy choice for USDA Zones 6-9. It grows best in full sun to partial shade, providing year-round interest with minimal maintenance.
Ilex 'Magland'
Ilex 'Magland', a variegated cousin of the Oakland Holly, is an evergreen with a dense, pyramidal habit. It features oak-shaped leaves with a light green edge and festive red berries in late winter. This plant is ideal for privacy screens and provides reliable shelter for birds.
Ilex 'Red Sky'
Ilex 'Red Sky' is an evergreen shrub known for its glossy, dark green foliage with a red tint and tiny serrated leaves. It has an upright growth habit similar to sky pencil holly and is low maintenance, making it ideal for gardeners seeking a drought-tolerant and deer-resistant plant. This slow-growing shrub thrives in USDA Zones 6-9 and prefers partial to full sunlight with consistently moist soil. It is best to feed it with a slow-release, balanced fertilizer in early spring and prune in late winter or early spring.
Ilex 'Conin'
This plant produces crimson red berries from fall through winter and has maroon new growth in spring that changes to dark emerald green. It has a naturally pyramidal growth habit and is used as a screen, hedge, barrier, or specimen. The plant requires full sun to part shade.
Ilex crenata 'Compacta'
This evergreen ornamental shrub has a dense globular form and requires six hours of sunlight a day. It is great for hedge and foundation planting and is a substitute for boxwoods. The plant is easy to maintain and resistant to deer, drought, insects, disease, heat, and mildew.
Ilex 'Touch Of Gold'
This evergreen shrub has golden variegated leaves and grows 2 feet in height and 4 feet in width. It thrives in part sun to full shade and USDA zones 6-9, preferring moist, well-draining soil. The plant requires no pruning.
Ilex cornuta 'Dwarf Burfordii'
Ilex cornuta 'Dwarf Burfordii' is a compact shrub with glossy deep dark green foliage and a single spine at the tip. It produces red berries in fall and tiny white fragrant flowers in spring. This plant thrives in USDA zones 7-9, preferring full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. 'Dwarf Burfordii' is a low-maintenance shrub, ideal for adding year-round interest to gardens with its attractive foliage and seasonal berries.
Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'
Ilex vomitoria 'Nana' is a versatile and compact evergreen shrub with dense, dark green foliage and a naturally rounded form. It features small, glossy leaves and is adaptable to various soil types, thriving in both full sun and partial shade. In spring, it produces inconspicuous white flowers followed by vibrant red berries that attract birds.
Ilex vomitoria 'Schillings'
Native to southeastern North America, this dense rounded shrub has medium-sized dark green leaves and silvery gray bark. It produces small white flowers in spring and bright red berries on female plants. The plant is salt and drought-tolerant once established, growing 4-7 feet in height and 6-10 feet in width, thriving in USDA zones 6-9.
Ilex 'Conaf'
Ilex 'Conaf' is an evergreen shrub with spiny leaves and bronze-to-burgundy new growth. It grows up to 14 feet tall and 8 feet wide, featuring bright red berries and creamy white flowers in early spring. This deer-resistant plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and is heat and drought-tolerant.
Ilex crenata 'Steeds'
Ilex crenata 'Steeds' is an evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green foliage and a natural pyramid shape. It produces tiny white blooms in late summer, followed by vibrant red berries that turn bluish-black in winter. Hardy in USDA zones 5-9, this shrub grows 6-8 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide, thriving in full or partial sun and slightly acidic soil. Its compact, upright growth habit and low maintenance needs make it a popular choice for hedges and privacy screens.
Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil'
Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' is a narrow, columnar evergreen shrub with dark green foliage year-round. It produces showy purple berries in fall on female plants and creamy white flowers in early spring. This plant is ideal for vertical accents and privacy screens, thriving in USDA zones 5-9.
Ilex cornuta 'Needlepoint'
Ilex cornuta 'Needlepoint' is an evergreen shrub known for its long, narrow leaves with a single spine at the tip and its production of red fruit in winter. This self-pollinating plant grows rapidly, reaching up to 10-15 feet tall and 5-10 feet wide. It thrives in USDA zones 7-9, preferring full sun to partial shade and well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Its heat and drought tolerance make it a resilient choice for ornamental hedges or privacy screens.
Ilex crenata
Ilex crenata, commonly known as Japanese holly, is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to East Asia. It features glossy dark green leaves with a wavy margin and produces small white flowers that develop into ornamental black berries. This plant is popular among bonsai enthusiasts and is often compared to boxwood due to its similar appearance. It thrives in acidic soil and is drought-tolerant, making it suitable for USDA zones 5-9. Japanese holly is a slow-growing plant that reaches a height of 2-3 feet, forming a low, dome-shaped form. It is best grown in full to partial sun and is intolerant of alkaline soils. The plant's flexible branches and soft-textured foliage add to its appeal as an ornamental shrub.
Ilex 'Nellie R Stevens'
Ilex 'Nellie R Stevens' is a fast-growing, dense evergreen shrub with a natural pyramidal shape, ideal for privacy hedges. It features tiny green-white flowers in spring and bright red berries in fall and winter. This holly thrives in USDA zones 6-9, preferring partial shade but tolerating full sun. It grows up to 3 feet per year, reaching 15-25 feet as a hedge or 25-30 feet individually, with a width of 5-10 feet. The shrub is low maintenance, pest and disease resistant, and responds well to pruning. It prefers slightly acidic, well-drained soil and is mildly drought-tolerant once established.
Ilex cornuta 'Dwarf Burford'
This evergreen shrub has dense growth and bright red berries, with clusters of showy and fragrant white flowers in spring and early summer. It grows up to 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide, performing best in rich, slightly acidic soil. The plant is drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and highly resistant to pests and diseases, thriving in USDA zones 7-9.
Ilex vomitoria 'Bordeaux'
Native to the southeastern United States, this compact shrub has a symmetrical growth habit and deep green, glossy, spiny foliage. It tolerates a range of soil types and pH levels and is highly drought-tolerant and low maintenance. The plant is highly resistant to pests and diseases and is versatile for hedges, borders, and foundation plantings.
Ilex cornuta 'Carissa'
Ilex cornuta 'Carissa' is a compact, dense holly shrub with glossy, leathery dark green leaves and a single sharp spine. It produces fragrant white flowers in early spring and red berries in fall and winter. This drought-tolerant plant grows up to 3-4 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, thriving in full sun to partial shade.
Ilex crenata 'Soft Touch'
This dense, compact plant has soft, tactile foliage and a vibrant green hue, making it perfect for small spaces or urban gardens. It is safe for homes with children and pets and requires minimal maintenance. The plant is drought-tolerant once established and thrives in USDA zones 6-8.
Ilex glabra 'Shamrock'
Ilex glabra 'Shamrock' is a compact form of native Inkberry with lustrous dark green leaves and slow growth. It tolerates wet sites and produces dark purple to black berries, making it useful for accent plantings or low hedges.
Ilex crenata 'Hoogendorn'
Ilex crenata 'Hoogendorn' is a male holly species known for its compact, broadleaf evergreen groundcover. It is cold-tolerant and water-wise, spreading 2-3 feet wide and growing 18-24 inches tall. This plant is resistant to verticillium wilt and deer, thriving in full sun to partial shade. 'Hoogendorn' is a low-maintenance choice for gardens, requiring minimal moisture once established.
Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red'
Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red' is a deciduous holly known for its bright red berries and deep-green foliage. It requires a male pollinator, such as Southern Gentleman Holly, for berry production and thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Ilex vomitoria 'Oscar'
Ilex vomitoria 'Oscar' is a compact, dwarf evergreen shrub with exceptionally dark green foliage. It forms a dense ball about 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide, making it ideal for foundation plantings or rain gardens. This plant tolerates both boggy acidic and dry alkaline soils, showcasing its adaptability in various garden settings.