Castle Spire® Blue Holly (Ilex)
Shrub
- Classic blue holly ideal for hedges or as a beautiful specimen!
- Dramatic pyramidal habit & lustrous evergreen foliage look amazing year-round.
- Tiny white flowers in late spring become abundant red berries.
- Needs male pollinator Castle Wall® nearby to produce berries.
- Zones 5-7, sun/part sun, 10′ tall x 4′ wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Blue holly is a classic evergreen holly with handsome green foliage. Many varieties come in a naturally neat habit that requires no pruning to maintain its unique shape. Its ease of maintenance and gorgeous green foliage make holly ideal for foundation plantings or hedges.
Details
Patent: USPP 14,310
Common name: Blue holly
Zone: 5 - 7
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 8-10' tall x 3-4' wide
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Year-round
Bloom time: Spring
Features: Winter interest, rabbit resistant, Proven Winners, privacy & screening, evergreens
Uses: Hedge, specimen, containers, formal gardens.
How to Grow
Light: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part sun (4-6 hours sun).
Water: Average - do not overwater, as holly can readily suffer root rot.
Space: 4-5' apart. If you are planting a male so that fruit will develop, plant it anywhere within 50' of this female variety. One male will pollinate up to 5 females.
Fertilizing: If desired, fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer. A second application may be made in late spring/early summer as well.
Winterizing: 2-3" of shredded bark mulch is important to protect the shallow roots and minimize water loss. Do not allow plants to enter winter "thirsty" – dry soil during cold, windy weather is the main cause of leaf browning or even the plant dying.
Maintenance: None required. Note that if you do trim, you are likely to remove flower and berry potential.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.