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10 Holly Trees to Beautify Your Garden
Introduction
Holly trees aren’t just for Christmas decorations. They can add year-round interest to your garden with their attractive foliage and berries. Here are 10 beautiful holly varieties to consider:
Variegated Hollies
- Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata’: Spiny leaves with silver-cream edges and bright red berries.
- Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Queen’: Glossy green leaves with silver margins (male variety, no berries).
- Ilex aquifolium ‘Myrtifolia Aurea Maculata’: Compact shrub with small leaves splashed with yellow.
- Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Mermaid’: Variegated leaves with creamy white margin, produces red berries.
- Ilex x altaclerensis ‘Belgica Aurea’: Slender leaves with a yellow edge, fast-growing.
Unique Hollies
- Ilex x koehneana ‘Chestnut Leaf’: Soft, serrated leaves resembling chestnut leaves, produces abundant red berries.
- Ilex aquifolium ‘Hascombensis’: Slow-growing shrub with small, pointed leaves, suitable for pots.
- Ilex aquifolium ‘Ferox Argentea’: “Silver hedgehog holly” with spines on both surfaces of leaves, can be pruned into an unusual hedge.
Golden Variegated Hollies
- Ilex x altaclerensis ‘Golden King’: Female variety with golden variegated leaves and red berries.
Other Recommended Varieties
- ‘Handsworth New Silver’: Purple stems and variegated leaves with a cream or white margin.
- ‘Madame Briot’: Wavy dark green leaves and orange to red berries.
- ‘Lawsoniana’: Less spiny leaves with big white or cream splashes, brown-red berries.
- ‘J.C van Tol’: Self-fertile female variety, good for small gardens.
Tips for Choosing Holly Trees
- For berries, choose a female variety and plant a male nearby.
- For small gardens, consider self-fertile varieties like ‘J.C van Tol’.
- Check the height and spread of the holly before planting, as some can grow quite tall.
