Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Japanese holly is an East Asian evergreen shrub commonly grown in U.S. hedges and foundation plantings. It looks much like boxwood, but its small leaves are staggered along the twig rather than arranged in opposite pairs. Female plants can carry glossy black berries.

Appearance

Appearance: The species is a dense evergreen shrub that commonly grows 5–10 ft (1.5–3 m) tall and 5–8 ft (1.5–2.4 m) wide, although many cultivars stay 3–4 ft (0.9–1.2 m) tall.
Leaves: The leathery leaves are about 0.5–1.25 in (1.3–3.2 cm) long. They grow alternately along the twig and have small rounded teeth.
Flowers: Tiny greenish-white flowers open in May and June in North Carolina. Male and female flowers are usually carried on separate plants.
Fruit: Female plants produce small black that mature in fall and may remain into winter when pollinated by a male plant.

Look-alikes

Common boxwoodBuxus sempervirens

Common boxwood has pairs of opposite leaves with mostly smooth edges. Japanese holly has alternate leaves with small rounded teeth and may carry black berries.

Why they get mixed upBoth are dense evergreen shrubs with small glossy leaves and are often clipped into hedges.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: hedges
foundation plantings
Range: It is native from the eastern Himalayas through temperate East Asia. It is widely cultivated in the United States and has been recorded outside cultivation in scattered eastern states and in Oregon and Washington.
Preferred conditions: It prefers acidic, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It may struggle in the heat and humidity of the Deep South.
Flowering: Flowers May–Jun
Flowers May–Jun

Life cycle

Reproduction: This species is , with male and female flowers usually on separate plants.

Growing it

Care: It is commonly grown in USDA hardiness zones 5a–8b and tolerates clipping into hedges or rounded shapes. A male plant nearby is needed if berries are wanted on female plants.

Name and classification

About the name: Alongside the typical variety, Ilex crenata crenata, this species includes a low, spreading variety called Ilex crenata radicans.
Varieties and forms: Landscape selections range from narrow upright plants to rounded mounds and low, spreading shrubs.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: Gardeners use it in place of boxwood for .
Narrow upright selections such as 'Sky Pencil' are also grown in U.S. gardens.

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