Ilex Crenata | 9cm Pot

This makes a good alternative to Buxus. Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, humus-rich soil Rate of growth: slow to average Flowering period: May Hardiness: fully hardy The leaves of this evergreen holly are glossy and deep green, and as they are relatively small, it can be kept clipped into shape and used as an alternative to box. A bushy shrub, it can be trained as a small tree (in Japan it is often ‘cloud’ pruned to form a magnificent focal point or specimen), and it will also make an attractive, year-round hedge or screen. Garden care: Plants grown as free-standing specimens require minimal pruning – remove diseased or misplaced branches in spring. Trim plants grown as formal hedges or topiary in late summer. After pruning apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted compost or manure around the base of the plant.