Small, yellowish-green flowers, each with four tiny petals, attract the first bees of the season.

Like other members of the Ilex genus, Chinese holly specifically attracts the ground-nesting Colletes banksia bees.

Chinese hollies are dioecious, meaning that individual flowers are either male or female.

However, only one sex is found on any one plant.

You’ll need both a male and a female holly to produce fruit.

Bees pollinate the flowers.

A few cultivars, like ‘Burford’, doesn’t need a pollinator to set fruit.

The berries about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter.

Unusual rectangular leaves resemble bull horns, and “cornuta” means horn-shaped.

Spiny leaves are dark olive glossy green and a prickly.

The hairless leaves are leathery and waxy in texture.

Each broadleaf is exceptionally shiny compared to others in theAquifoliaceaefamily.

The plant is toxic to humans, and toxic to pets.

Chinese Holly Care

Establish this plant in cool weather.

Before planting, dig a hole two to three times as wide and only as deep as the rootball.

The wider the hole, the better.

With one hand, hold the plant straight and with the other hand, fill the hole with soil.

Pat the soil around the roots to remove any air pockets.

When the hole is halfway filled, soak the soil.

Allow the top edge of the root ball to rest just above ground level.

This will allow the roots to settle in the coming rain.

Once Chinese holly has been planted properly, it is exceptionally beautiful and also very adaptable.

Young plants do need additional water until established.

Light

Choose a sunny spot.

Chinese holly thrives in full to partial sun but will tolerate shade.

Plants grow fullest with more sun.

At least five hours of direct sunlight will enable optimum berry production and foliage density.

Soil

Chinese holly prefers moist, well-drained soil.

It grows in clay, sand, or loam if the soil has excellent drainage.

If the clay soil is very dense, mix in organic matter or planting mix to enrich the roots.

If the soil is very sandy and drains quickly, add compost to retain moisture.

Water

Once you’ve planted your Chinese holly, give it a good soak.

Top the new soil with mulch or pine straw, leaving room at the base.

Temperature and Humidity

Chinese holly establishes and grows quickly in the USDA zones 7 to 9.

In colder climates, the plant might need covering during the winter to help ensure it stays vibrant.

Fertilizer

Every late winter or early spring, feed plants a slow-release shrub and tree fertilizer.

The iron and/or sulfur will promote constant greening.

If leaves begin to yellow in mid to late summer, a second fertilization could be helpful.

For the amount to use, follow the product label instructions.

Popular cultivars include:

Pruning

To maintain a neat privacy hedge, pruning is necessary.

Without heavy trimming, these plants can take over an entire garden.

Prune in late winter with a sharp pair of pruning shears.

Remove dead or damaged branches from the base any time of year.

Propagating Chinese Holly

Propagate Chinese holly from semi-hardwood cuttings.

Take extra care to maintain a moist, not soggy, environment in containers.

Drainage holes and a high-quality potting mix will provide an ideal beginning for this holly.

Choose a rather large pot at least eight inches wider than the root ball.

Overwintering

Hollies are quite hardy in their appropriate zones.

To protect them from the freeze-thaw cycle during the winter, apply several inches of mulch over the roots.

The mulch should extend out as wide as the branches do.

Very young plants can be lightly wrapped at the base with burlap for further protection.

Treat the mites with manual removal; this might be accomplished with a strong blast of water.

Leaf miners might need permethrin sprays to eradicate them.

Powdery mildew, leaf spot, leaf rot, and tar spot are potential issues as well.

Mature plants may live to 80 years of age when given the proper growing conditions.

North Carolina State Extension.

Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Holly.ASPCA.