Expert’s choice Hollies
Bedecked with bright berries and glossy leaves, this winter favourite is more than just a useful plant for festive decor, says Graham Rice
It’s December and so we think about holly. But there’s a lot more to holly than a sprig on a Christmas card. Hollies feature impressively colourful foliage, and at their best they drip with scarlet, orange or yellow berries. The birds love them for winter food and for nesting, and they make superb boundary hedges. Some are impressive as specimen trees, most are happy in shade and in poor soil, and, of course, at this time of year you can cut branches to fashion festive decorations. So what do you need to know in order to make good choices from the hundreds of holly varieties that are available? Firstly, most hollies have male and female flowers on different plants, so you need a male nearby to ensure that your female hollies produce berries. And just to confuse the issue, ‘Golden King’ is only female and ‘Silver Queen’ is only male. Don’t ask! However, the good news is that a few will produce impressive crops of berries all by themselves, with no male anywhere near. Secondly, while most hollies are evergreen, a few, including Ilex verticillata, are deciduous and these can be among the most dramatic in fruit as there’s no foliage to hide the berries. I think you need to plant one, don’t you?
Happy in sun or shade, and in sea winds. Grows in almost any soil that isn’t waterlogged or parched, although using better soil will prompt stronger growth. Variegated types develop better colour in sun. Water well in the first year to prevent drying out. Can be left to grow unchecked or pruned in late winter/early spring to keep neat and restrict height. Mulch with compost every year after pruning. PLANT DIRECTORY Find the perfect holly this season by using our plant finder at gardenersworld.com/plant-finder