10 holly trees to grow

Everyone is familiar with our common holly, Ilex aquifolium, with its glossy evergreen leaves and red berries. But there are lots of other varieties to grow, some with attractive foliage and berries that range in colour from orange to purple.

Make a holly and skimmia pot display.

Hollies are generally male or female, so check before you buy. If you want berries on a female plant, you will need to plant a male nearby. Some cultivar names can be confusing: for example, Ilex aquifolium ‘Golden Queen’ is male, while Ilex x altaclerensis ‘Golden King’ is female.

Hollies are easy to grow – they will grow in sun or partial shade, and prefer moist but well drained soil. The variegated varieties keep their colours better in full sun. Hollies can be grown as specimen plants in a lawn, or in a mixed or shrub border, and some make excellent hedges – great for garden security. They need minimal pruning – just remove any diseased or wrongly placed branches in spring. Trim holly hedges in late summer.

If you are cutting holly as a festive decoration, pick some sprigs early in winter, before the berries get eaten by birds.

Here are 10 attractive hollies to grow.

Common holly, Ilex aquifolium, has shiny, evergreen leaves. It can be grown as a specimen tree, a clipped bush or a hedge. There are dozens of varieties, many of which have variegated leaves. Both a male and a female plant are required for the female plants to produce red berries, which appear from late autumn to mid-winter.

Height: over 12m

Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata’ is a beautiful variegated female holly. Its spiny, dark green leaves have silver-cream edges, tinged pink when young. In autumn it produces masses of bright red berries. As it’s tolerant of salt and pollution, it’s particularly suitable for growing in urban or coastal sites.

Height: 15m

Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Queen’ is grown for its distinctive foliage – it has distinctive silver margins on its spiny and glossy green leaves. Despite its name, it’s a male plant, so does not produce berries. The stems and young foliage are purple.

Height: 12m

Ilex aquifolium ‘Myrtifolia Aurea Maculata’ is a male cultivar with small leaves that are splashed with yellow. It’s a compact, slow growing shrub and like most variegated hollies, does best in full sun.

Height: 2.5m

Ilex aquifolium ‘Silver Mermaid’ is an attractive variegated holly, bearing spiny, dark green leaves with a creamy white variegation. It’s a female variety that produces red berries in autumn.

Height: 6m

This unusual holly is a cross between Ilex aquifolium and Ilex latifolia. Its soft, glossy serrated leaves look very similar to those of sweet chestnut. The branches of this female variety sweep down and are loaded with late red berries, which persist on the plant for a long time. A vigorous grower, it has an attractive pyramidal shape.

Height: 8m

This unusual male holly is a slow growing shrub with small, pointed leaves. It’s very compact, making it suitable for growing in a pot.

Height: 60cm

Ilex x altaclerensis ‘Belgica Aurea’ is another pretty, variegated holly. Its slender leaves are dark green with a yellow edge and are about 10cm in length. A female variety, it’s a fast grower.

Height: 12m

Ilex aquifolium ‘Ferox Argentea’ is also known as the ‘silver hedgehog holly’, probably because it has spines on the surface of its leaves as well as the edges. It’s fairly slow growing but has a dense habit, and can be pruned to make an unusual hedge – good for security. It keeps its variegation in shade. It’s male, so doesn’t produce berries.

Height: 8m

Ilex x altaclerensis ‘Golden King’ is one of the prettiest golden variegated hollies you can grow. It is relatively compact, with a conical shape. Despite its name, it’s a female variety and produces red berries in autumn.

Height: 6m

More varieties of holly to grow

‘Handsworth New Silver’
A striking variety with purple stems and varigated leaves with a cream or white margin. This tree should give you a good crop of bright berries.
H 8m

‘Madame Briot’
This variegated holly is a reliable variety with wavy dark green leaves and orange to red berries.
H 8m

‘Lawsoniana’
If you’re looking for a less spiny holly, try this variety. The leaves are variegated with big white or cream splashes. The berries are a brown red.
H 6m

‘J.C van Tol’
This female variety is self-fertile so doesn’t need to be near a male holly to produce berries, which makes it a good pick for a small garden. Its dark green leaves do not have many prickles.
H 6m