Many gardeners enjoy using it as alush hedgeor border, or to create topiaries.
It sports small, white, four-petaled flowers in the late spring that tend toattract beesand other pollinators.
The flowers give way to small, black, rounded fruits.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
The shrub can be planted in the fall or spring.
Japanese holly is toxic to humans,dogs,and cats.It is considered invasive in some areas.
Light
Japanese holly grows best infull sunto partial shade.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
In warmer climates, it will appreciate some shade from the harsh afternoon sun.
Too little light will result in slower growth and less dense branching.
Ideally, it should be planted in loose, loamy soil that has good drainage.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
It prefers a slightly acidicsoil pH.
Water
Japanese holly plants like a moderate amount of soil moisture.
Keep young shrubs in evenly moist but not soggy soil to help them establish their root systems.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
Mature shrubs have some drought tolerance, and they also can tolerate occasional flooding.
The shrub also tends to struggle in areas with high humidity and instead prefers average humidity levels.
Fertilizer
Apply a slow-release fertilizer in the spring as new growth begins.
For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.
But they can be cut back as needed to maintain the desired shape.
Remove any dead, damaged, or diseased branches as you spot them.
Dont severely prune it into your desired shape all at once.
This will encourage healthy new branches to grow and reform the shrub.
Also, even in ideal conditions, germinating the seeds can take years and it is erratic.
Therefore it is not recommended to grow Japanese holly from seed.
Potting and Repotting
Dwarf varieties of Japanese holly are suitable for container growing.
Fill it with a well-draining potting mix and ensure the container has large drainage holes.
But they benefit from several inches of mulch over the roots to protect them from the freeze-thaw cycle.
The mulch should be spread as wide as the reach of the branches.
The female leaf miner will suck the fluid out of the plant’s leaves.
The damage to the leaves will show up as brown, yellowish, or reddish lines.
Other pests includescale,whiteflies, andspider mites.
Address these pests withneem oil, a natural insecticide.
You may have to replant the holly in better-draining soil.
Stem canker is a fungal disease that can afflict the Japanese holly.
If you see reddish lesions on lower stems, this could be an early symptom.
If you spot patches of dead plants, it is usually a late symptom of stem canker.
Stem canker is potentially managed with fungicides.
Blossoms turn to small fruits over the summer.
It takes two to three years of growth to bloom for the first time.
Common Problems with Japanese Holly
A common issue is yellowing leaves.
Note that generally, the shrub won’t produce berries until it is six to eight years old.
Japanese holly is a fairly low-maintenance plant as long as you start it off healthy.
A Japanese holly can live for 50 years or more when properly maintained.
Ilex crenata.North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
Poisonous Plants for Dogs.American Kennel Club.
Holly.ASPCA
Japanese Holly.Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
Holly Diseases and Insect Pests.Clemson University Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.
