I have repeatedly seen the China hollies rated as the hardier holly but this is not so. Locally the only holly that looks good planted ...Read Morein any location is a blue holly. Meanwhile I have mine planted in full exposure in the harshest winter in several decades with no mulch or winter burlap for their first winter. They have turned purple lightly as you would expect from such extreme cold but show no damage.
I have one blue holly plant that I've successfully over wintered on a 3rd story patio (roof over patio) facing north. It did amazing las...Read Moret summer and had lots of new growth and I'm sure it will take off yet again this spring :) I have it planted in a wood planter that is about 1ft wide by 2 ft long and 1 ft deep. I did little to protect it over the winter.. just brought it all the way up next to the patio door with the patio rug under it.. then folded the rug up around just the pot to insulate it from the extreme cold.
Wake Forest, NC (Zone 7b) | December 2009 | neutral
CAUTION!!!!
My Michael Dirr book says Ilex x meserve cultivars (the "Blues") are not suited for the heat of Zone 7B- zone 9. Dir...Read Morer says that, in Athens, GA, China Girl and China Boy which are I, rugosa x I. cornuta did fine while the "blues" all died in the extreme heat of 1973.
I mention this because Lowes and HD happily sell the "Blues" in Zone 7B (Raleigh, NC). And also because the zone table in this listing above says they are tolerant to Zone 9B, BUT, this is for cold, not heat tolerance!
We have a couple of Blue Girl holly plants near our house foundation. It's very dry full shade there. They have grown very well for at le...Read Moreast 8 years (came with the house). They have red berries in winter and tiny white flowers in spring. The leaves are very dark and shiny, and look great all year long.
I have had Blue Girl and Blue Boy varieties in the ground for 4 years here in zone 3b. They have survived unprotected but have grown litt...Read Morele and remain about 12" tall. They are planted in morning to midday sun. After heavy snow cover last winter they look better than normal this spring and I am hopeful that I will see growth this year.
This is a very nice small holly. Leaves stay blue green and have beautiful red berries in fall. I have 2 that are fertilized each summe...Read Morer by the Blue Stallion holly elsewhere in my yard. I have found that the holly bush that is in full sun here in zone 5 does extremely well next to a small tub garden that is near our back door. It has rounded nicely, is about 2'5" - 3' tall and very full looking. On the opposite side of the door I have another Blue Girl that was planted at the same time, same soil type (clay augmented with garden soil) but only receives partial sun due to the proximity of our picnic table. This holly is only perhaps 20" - 2' tall, and while still nicely rounded, is not as full as the other one. So I would advise planting these in full sun in the northern zones.
This is one of the few hollies that will survive our tough northern winters. Wonderful plant!
I have repeatedly seen the China hollies rated as the hardier holly but this is not so. Locally the only holly that looks good planted ...Read More
I have one blue holly plant that I've successfully over wintered on a 3rd story patio (roof over patio) facing north. It did amazing las...Read More
CAUTION!!!!
My Michael Dirr book says Ilex x meserve cultivars (the "Blues") are not suited for the heat of Zone 7B- zone 9. Dir...Read More
We have a couple of Blue Girl holly plants near our house foundation. It's very dry full shade there. They have grown very well for at le...Read More
I have had Blue Girl and Blue Boy varieties in the ground for 4 years here in zone 3b. They have survived unprotected but have grown litt...Read More
This is a very nice small holly. Leaves stay blue green and have beautiful red berries in fall. I have 2 that are fertilized each summe...Read More