Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener: 7 Cardinal Sins Garden, 5 by ViburnumValley

ViburnumValley wrote:
There are lots of excellent American Holly choices - I only mentioned the one so as to prime the pump.

OniOni said: "I am intrigued as to how they arrived at the species/genius(?) name for llex opaca? (I've got to learn that classification order) Apparently, I need a female plant but am unsure which leaf to lift in order to find out its gender (very big grin)."

First things first: binomial nomenclature. The generic term (Ilex) takes the lead, and the specific epithet (opaca) is secondary in the naming a species (a combination of the terms). Thus, the binomial Ilex opaca names the species of American Holly.

Next: you've got it all wrong. 'Magna Semen' means "large seed", and is an excellent female American Holly named in the 1940s by E. W. Windsor. See attached images.

If you really want some additional selections to go with the Deadnettle, try some of these:

**Ilex opaca 'Pride Berry'
**Ilex opaca 'Pride Dwarf'
**Ilex opaca 'Pride Hedge'
**Ilex opaca 'Pride of Butler'
**Ilex opaca 'Pride Orchard'
**Ilex opaca 'Arthur Pride'
**Ilex opaca 'Betty Pride'

Pennsylvania nurseryman Orlando Pride was a prolific fellow...