Growing Holly

[ducks4you]

I have a mild interest in planting some holly next year. I know about needing at least one male with one or more female plants to get any berries. Has anybody grown it successfully. I'm in 5b-6a, and I understand that it can be grown in my zones.

 

[catjac1975]

It grows wild here in Massachusetts but does not seem to transplant well from my woods. It grows into giant trees over time. I bought a beautifully shaped one several years ago and it blooms and has berries every season with no attention of any kind. The wild ones bloom also. I think the nursery grown may be self pollinating. Either that or the wild ones pollinate mine.

 

[lesa]

It grew fine at my mother's in zone 4. The only thing I would warn you about is its location. When the leaves drop off and dry, they become razor sharp. If you have them in a foundation bed where you are crawling around and digging- I think you will be bothered by them. I do like the looks of them, but if I planted them it wouldn't be front and center...

 

[Smart Red]

I had a holly growing in the (high acid) turn-around. It did very well and outgrew its space. Last fall we dug it, and several other plants out. My problem was that I only had one -- male or female, it didn't have berries alone. I used a lot of it in Christmas greenery.

 

[ducks4you]

Sounds good to me. Thanks! I'll start window shopping bc I think holly would be a good substitute for some of the evergreen bushes growing in a gravel top bed next to the house.

 

[Smithyard Farm]

I have 2 holly bushes that do okay. I don't think they are in the best spot, but they thrive, and I am able to clip a few branches with berries and bring inside for decorating wreaths and such at Christmas. I am in NH - Zone 5, Good luck!

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks! What variety(ies) do you have? I have heard the "China Girl" grows well where I live.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

Never knew their were different cultivars of holly. I always thought that the regular holly with the red berries and pointy leaves was all there was. :/


-Edited to say that I have a lone holly bush in the flower bed with a few berries. Don't know how that happened, last time I checked holly didn't grow wild in the Midwest.

 

[ducks4you]

Me, too, but I found out about different varieties bc I tape a weekly local PBS gardening program and I'm ALWAYS trolling the I'Net for gardening articles.