- You should plant Japanese Hollies in light, well drained soil with plenty of organic material.
- The shrubs prefer slightly acidic soil and can develop iron deficiency if the soil pH is too high.
- You can plant them in almost any garden location since they tolerate full sun or partial shade.
- They require very little pruning and do really well in pots.
- Water them twice a week on average but every day in extreme heat.
How do you plant a Japanese holly tree?
You’ll do best growing Japanese holly in light, well-drained soil with plenty of organic material. The shrubs prefer slightly acidic soil and will develop iron deficiency if the soil pH is too high. You can plant the shrubs in almost any garden location since they tolerate full sun or partial shade.
How to take care of Japanese holly?
Japanese Holly Care 1 Light. Japanese holly grows best in full sun to partial shade. ... 2 Soil. This shrub can tolerate a variety of soil types, from sandy and rocky soil to clay soil. ... 3 Water. Japanese holly plants like a moderate amount of soil moisture. ... 4 Temperature and Humidity. ... 5 Fertilizer. ...
What kind of soil does Japanese holly like?
This shrub can tolerate a variety of soil types, from sandy and rocky soil to clay soil. Ideally it should be planted in a loose, loamy soil that has good drainage. It prefers a slightly acidic soil pH . Japanese holly plants like a moderate amount of soil moisture.
How do you plant soft touch Holly?
“Soft Touch” holly works well with the mudding in technique, which removes large air pockets around the roots and settles the soil. Fill the hole halfway with soil, to keep the root ball in place. Pour a bucketful of water into the hole around the root ball and let it drain away. Next, fill the planting hole the rest of the way with soil.
How do you plant Compacta holly?
2:466:48How to grow Compacta Hollies with detailed description - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou're gonna want to mix in some pine bark soil conditioner. If you have heavy clay soils. Or peatMoreYou're gonna want to mix in some pine bark soil conditioner. If you have heavy clay soils. Or peat moss cow manure compost.
How far apart do you plant Compacta holly?
This is a great shrub for building an easy to maintain hedge. Plant 3 feet apart for a tight hedge.
How fast does Japanese holly Compacta grow?
The great advantage of the Compact Japanese Holly compared to boxwood shrubs is the rapid rate of growth. While boxwood adds just a few inches a year, this holly bush can add up to 2 feet of growth in a single season when the plants are young, well-watered and fertilized.
Where do you put Japanese holly?
Where to Plant? A Compact Japanese Holly likes full to partial sun, more sun than shade. So, it's important to plant in an area that gets plenty of sunlight. Although they can be planted almost anywhere, they thrive in coastal areas.
How wide does Japanese holly get?
How to Grow and Care for Japanese HollyCommon NamesJapanese holly, box-leaved hollyFamilyAquifoliaceaePlant TypeShrubMature Size3–10 ft. tall, 3–8 ft. wideSun ExposureFull, partial8 more rows•Jun 9, 2022
Where should I plant my holly bushes?
The best location for planting holly bushes is in well-drained but not dry, slightly acidic soil in full sun. That being said, most hollies are very tolerant of less than ideal locations and will grow well in part shade or dry or swampy soil.
Can you keep Japanese holly small?
Japanese hollies can be lightly pruned or sheared almost any time of year. Hard pruning, to rejuvenate an old and tired plant or to reduce the size of a plant that has outgrown the space it was intended to fill, should be performed in late winter before new spring growth begins to emerge.
How deep are Japanese holly roots?
Dig around the Japanese holly at a 2-foot distance from the main plant trunk. Begin removing soil to expose the roots. Take your time with digging to avoid damaging the existing root system. Japanese holly roots tend to travel about 10 to 12 inches deep into the soil bed.
Is Japanese holly fast growing?
This form of Japanese holly, Ilex crenata 'Convexa', is fast growing and is a very good hedge either sheared or un-sheared. It is a handsome utility plant that is durable alternative to the slower growing boxwood.
How big does Japanese holly Compacta grow?
6 feet highCompact Japanese Holly, like its parent, is an evergreen shrub, but unlike its 10 foot tall parent, it will grow to 6 feet high and wide making it a good choice for a tall ground cover that works well as a foundation plant, hedge, or in small groups in a shrub border.
Do Japanese holly lose their leaves in winter?
The holly tree is an evergreen plant. This classification means the holly tree won't lose its leaves with the onset of cold weather.
How tall do Japanese holly plants grow?
Japanese Holly Plants. Japanese holly plants ( Ilex crenata) grow into dense, rounded bushes between 3 and 10 feet (1-3 m.) tall and wide, with lustrous leaves and a compact habit. Some grow slow and some relatively fast, so pick your cultivar carefully.
What is the best zone for Japanese Holly?
It helps to spread a few inches (8 cm.) of organic mulch over the planting area to hold moisture in the soil. Japanese holly plants do best in zones 6 to 7 or 8, depending on the cultivar. In the north, cold weather can damage the foliage of the species plant, so you’ll want to select a cultivar that is slightly hardier.
What shrubs are easy to care for?
If you are looking to plant an easy-care hedge in a mild region, Japanese holly can work well. These pretty evergreen shrubs have small green leaves, shiny and spineless, and require very little maintenance.
Can Japanese Holly be planted in full sun?
The shrubs prefer slightly acidic soil and will develop iron deficiency if the soil pH is too high. You can plant the shrubs in almost any garden location since they tolerate full sun or partial shade . Japanese holly care includes regular irrigation to keep the soil moist.
Can you trim Japanese holly?
You can trim off branch tips to remove dead wood and make the shape more aesthetically appealing. Japanese holly pruning can also be severe though. Like boxwood, Japanese holly plants tolerate shearing, which makes the shrub a good choice for an evergreen hedge. If you want a shorter holly without pruning, try one of the dwarf cultivars like ...
Do holly shrubs have white flowers?
The shrubs offer small, greenish white flowers in springtime but they are neither fragrant nor showy. The blossoms turn into black berries over summer. These holly shrubs resemble boxwood plants and, like boxwood, make excellent hedges. You can also use small-leafed holly species like Japanese holly as foundation shrubs.
What type of soil does a Japanese Holly like?
Soil. Japanese holly adapt to a wide variety of soil types provided the soil is well-drained. They prefer growing in a well-drained soil with average moisture. As with so many other types of ornamental plants, constantly soggy or wet soil can cause root rot and other harmful plant diseases.
Why are Japanese Holly shrubs used?
Japanese holly shrubs are used so extensively in landscape design because they come in a wide range of shapes and sizes that offer many uses in landscapes and gardens. Too, Japanese holly respond very will to pruning so can be sheared to various shapes and forms that provide visual interest in the landscape. Japanese Holly shrubs are ideal ...
How to plant a sage plant in a hole?
Step 1. Start by digging your planting hole at least two to three times as wide and only as deep as the height of the rootball of your plant. The wider the hole the better. Place native soil removed from planting hole around the perimeter of the hole, in a wheel barrow, or on a tarp. Step 2.
What does it mean when Japanese hollies turn green?
Note: If the foliage of your Japanese hollies develop chlorosis (leaves turn light green or yellowish) this could be an indicator of a high soil pH (alkaline soil). Japanese hollies prefer a low soil pH (acidic soil). First check the undersides of the leaves for chlorophyll-sucking insects.
How to raise pH in soil?
To raise the pH (make more alkaline) you can add pelletized limestone to the soil. To lower the pH (make more acid) you can apply Soil Sulfur, Aluminum Sulfate, or Chelated Iron. Adding organic compost to the soil or using compost as mulch can also help to increase acidity and maintain acid soil conditions.
How much sun does a Japanese Holly need?
In warmer climates, it will appreciate some shade from the harsh afternoon sun. But in cooler climates, it typically should have full sun (at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days) to grow its best. Too little light will result in slower growth and less dense branching.
What is a Japanese holly?
Varieties. Back to Top. Japanese holly ( Ilex crenata) is an evergreen shrub with a dense branching pattern. It looks similar to boxwoods, and many growers enjoy using it as a lush hedge or border in the landscape. The shrub generally features rounded, glossy, dark green leaves that are only a little more than an inch long.
How tall does Ilex Crenata grow?
Ilex crenata 'Convexa’: This shrub reaches around 5 to 6 feet tall and is known to heavily bear black fruit. Ilex crenata 'Lemon Gem’: This is a small cultivar that doesn’t often grow taller than 3 feet and features yellowish foliage in the spring that matures to a lime green.
What type of soil does a sage plant like?
This shrub can tolerate a variety of soil types, from sandy and rocky soil to clay soil. Ideally it should be planted in a loose, loamy soil that has good drainage. It prefers a slightly acidic soil pH .
Do Japanese holly trees grow in cold climates?
Japanese holly prefers a temperate climate and doesn’t do well in extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. It’s ideal to plant your shrub in a spot that’s protected from harsh winds, which can damage the foliage. And in the colder parts of its growing zones, you might have to wrap your shrub in burlap for winter protection. The shrub also tends to struggle in areas with high humidity and instead prefers average humidity levels.
Is Japanese Holly low maintenance?
Japanese holly is a fairly low-maintenance plant as long as you start it off healthy. It’s important to plant it in a site that has good soil drainage and some protection from the elements, especially bitter winds. Once mature, the shrub typically only needs watering during dry spells.
How to get rid of soil compaction?
Scrape the sides and bottom of the hole with the edge of the shovel to prevent soil compaction. Remove the plant from the container and set the root ball in the hole. The top of the root ball needs to be level with the ground, so add or remove soil under the root ball to place the root ball at the proper level.
What is a soft touch holly?
“Soft Touch” compact holly (Ilex crenata “Soft Touch”) is named for its soft-textured evergreen leaves that do not have sharp spines like other hollies. The glossy green leaves have a silver midvein and the black berries last throughout the winter. In U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, this Japanese holly reaches 2 to 3 feet tall and wide with a natural rounded shape. When planted in an ornamental border, this broad leaf evergreen shrub tolerates shearing. The best time to plant this bush is in fall or spring.
Can a soft touch holly be planted in a raised bed?
Heavy, wet soil tends to kill this holly plant. If the site has a drainage problem, plant this holly in a raised bed or a large container. “Soft Touch” holly prefers slightly acidic soil.
Where to Plant?
A Compact Japanese Holly likes full to partial sun, more sun than shade. So, it’s important to plant in an area that gets plenty of sunlight. Although they can be planted almost anywhere, they thrive in coastal areas. We do not live in a coastal area, but also do not get tons of harsh winter weather either. Thus they should do pretty well.
How Much Water Do They Need?
A Compact Japanese Holly should be watered at least twice a week, but if in very hot temperatures they could be watered daily. For us, we will water daily throughout the hot summer days but will back off to twice a week in fall and spring.
How Big Will They Get?
A Compact Japanese Holly will grow to around five to six feet high and wide which is somewhat smaller than its parent tree that grows to around 10 feet. Even so, a Compact Japanese Holly can still make a great hedge when planted with other compact hollies. They also do very well in containers due to their smaller size.
Should I Prune a Compact Japanese Holly?
Sure! If you want to prune back or shape your Compact Japanese Holly, you can do so in late winter or early spring. This would especially need to be done if you were trying to form a hedge.
Should I Fertilize My Shrub?
Yes, fertilizing your Compact Japanese Holly would be a great idea and help keep the shrub healthy and growing to its potential. Late winter to early spring is a good time to fertilize. This is right before new growth will start to emerge and take place. Another good time would be late summer.
Are They Deer Resistant?
Yes, Compact Japanese Hollies are deer resistant. This is one of the reasons we chose this shrub for our containers around the pool. We did have hydrangeas bushes planted in them, but we learned very quickly that deer love hydrangeas! So far the deer have not touched out hollies!