General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium moisture soil in full sun to part shade. Adaptable to both light and heavy soils, but prefers moist, acidic, organic soils. Some tolerance for wet conditions. Hollies are dioecious. This cultivar is a female plant and needs a male pollinator (e.g., male Ilex decidua or Ilex opaca 'Jersey Knight') for fruit production. One male plant will generally be sufficient for pollinating 9-10 female plants. Prune to shape in early spring just before new growth begins.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This deciduous possum haw cultivar is an upright, rounded shrub which grows 6-12' high. Leaves are obovate, narrow and glossy dark green in summer, turning to yellow in fall. The whitish flowers are relatively inconspicuous. Pollinated female plants produce numerous, dense clusters of orange-red berries which ripen in September and persist throughout the winter until mid-March when new growth begins.

Problems:

No serious disease or insect problems. Occasional problems include leaf spots and powdery mildew.

Uses:

Effective as a specimen, in groups or as a hedge. Can be grown in low spots or along ponds with somewhat wet soil conditions. Red berries provide excellent color to the winter landscape and are a source of food for animals and birds.

© Missouri Botanical Garden, 2001-2010