USDA Zones: 5 - 9
Light: sun - partial shade
Form: Upright/Vase-shaped
Height: 15 to 30 feet
Width:8 to 20 feet

Special Features:
US Native/Wildflower
Winter Interest

American holly is a popular specimen plant in the East and South. It is a slow-grower, to about 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide in the landscape. It is densely pyramidal when young, becoming open in old age.

The evergreen leaves have spiny edges. Female American hollies produces toxic, dull-red berries if a male is growing nearby. More than 1,000 cultivars are available.

Notable Varieties

• 'Goldie' is a heavy fruiter with yellow berries.
• Grace McCutchin' has orange to red fruit.
• Jersey Knight' and Gable' are males and bear no fruit.
• Jersey Princess' is a female with excellent form.

Care
Prune in winter if needed.

Planting
Plant balled-and-burlapped or container-grown plants in spring, in full sun to partial shade, in moist, loose, acidic, well-drained soil. Choose a site protected from drying winds. Plant one male for every three females.

Pests and Diseases
Leaf miner is the most common problem.