Japanese Holly Dark Green

Japanese holly is often grown as a substitute for box in gardens which have suffered from box blight, as it tolerates hard clipping and is ideal for hedging and topiary. Ilex crenata Dark Green is a fairly slow-growing, robust, evergreen shrub or small tree, with an upright habit, ideal for hedging. The small, glossy leaves emerge light green, soon darkening to deep green. A few, insignificant, cream flowers are borne in May and June, followed by small black berries in autumn. Ilex crenata Dark Green is particularly good clipped as a dwarf hedge, and is also good in containers.

Site: Tolerates exposure
Soil: Any reasonably fertile, moist but well-drained soil, acid to neutral preferred
Position: Full sun to partial shade
Season of interest: All year
Hardiness: Very hardy
Height: up to 13’ (4m) Spread: 4’ (1.2m) in 10 years if left unclipped
Hedging Spacings: 6"-9" (15cm-23cm) for hedges up to 2ft
Space 9"-12" (23cm-30cm) apart for hedges 2-4ft
Space 1ft (30cm) apart for hedges over 4ft

Photos by David Stang, Harum Koh, and Cultivar, cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 and 4.0.