Ilex Crenata Greenhedge Japanese Holly

Ilex Crenata Greenhedge Japanese Holly
Ilex Crenata Greenhedge is a thornless evergreen Japanese Holly perfect for creating dense evergreen hedges.

This hedging holly is a very pretty variety from Japan that keeps it’s thornless leaves all year round. Many dark green shiny ovals on strong bushy stems grow in a narrow, compact shape which makes it a good choice for all size hedges and topiary work.

In spring Japanese Holly Ilex Greenhedge produces small white flowers on its tips that are attractive to pollinators and mature into small black berries that the birds enjoy over the summer months. This is a self-fertile holly so other types of holly bush are not required for pollination. During autumn and winter, Greenhedge Holly keeps its coat of foliage creating colourful structure and safe windproof cover for roosting birds.

Height and Spread of Ilex Crenata Greenhedge
Japanese Holly Ilex Greenhedge is a naturally compact shrub or small tree that will reach up to two metres in height and spread. It has a medium growth habit and in good fertile soils can grow 20-30 cms a year. It is easily kept smaller with regular pruning and it takes very well to topiary work.

How Hardy Is Ilex Crenata Greenhedge
This is a very hardy shrub that will easily tolerate sub-zero winters if its roots are well-drained. It’s relatively pest resistant and once established is drought-resistant too. Japanese Holly is one of the more forgiving hollies for hard pruning and good starting plant for a beginner topiarist.

How To Use Ilex Crenata Greenhedge
Japanese Holly Ilex Greenhedge is a very popular hedging plant for low to medium-sized boundaries as it is hardy, dense and evergreen. It’s evergreen and compact nature makes it suitable for all size gardens that need winter interest and structure in the bare months. It also does very well as decorative topiary balls or low-hedging and can replace box in areas prone to box blight. Wildlife gardens benefit from Japanese holly because it provides shelter in its bushy branches, nectar for pollinators, and food for birds.

Ilex Crenata Greenhedge will also grow happily in a well-watered container on the patio either clipped into shape or left to grow shaggy and unstructured.

How To Care For Ilex Crenata Greenhedge
Japanese Holly Ilex Green Hedge prefers a sunny, moist and well-drained position but it’s tolerant of less than perfect conditions including chalk. Water yours well until its established and put down a thick layer of mulch in spring to encourage healthy growth.

There is no need to prune this naturally compact and well-shaped Japanese holly but if you want to maintain its shape or create a very dense hedge cut it back in spring and summer as this will create side shoots that blend together.