Holly Shrubs Planting
Holly Shrubs are associated with winter holidays, weather its evergreen with glossy green leaves or deciduous from with branches outlined in glowing red berries, holly shrubs make a great holiday accent. holly shrubs also feed and shelter your feathered friends during winter.
One of the long associated with winter is holly. Weather in its evergreen form with thick , glossy green leaves or in its deciduous form outlined in red berries, holly shrubs make great winter accent plants. No matter where you live you can grow some type of holly shrubs.
There over six hundred species of holly shrubs, from all over the world.
Hollies are widely divided into groups. English Hollies, American Hollies, Blue Holly, Chinese Holly, Japanese holly, Possumhaw or winterberry holly. There are others grown for ornamental use and each of the above varieties have numerous named varieties, holly shrubs varieties are also crossed to provide some ornamental hybrids.
Holly shrubs vary in size from small to large trees, the shape of the leaves also varies. Many evergreen varieties have toothed leaves, with a spine at the end of each tooth. Some how ever, have smooth nearly oval leaves. Most evergreen
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holly leaves are thick and glossy green. There are some variegated varieties. Holly shrubs that drop their leaves in winter generally have long oval leaves.
The holly flowers are small and whitish. They have a sweet scent that attracts bees and other insects to do the pollinating. You can tell the males flowers if you look inside the flower and see yellow pollen. Female flowers already have a round, green swelling at the base of the pistil that becomes the berry. Holly plants may not flower for several years after planting so its important to label the males so you will know if a male dies and you need to replace it.
Most holly berries will be red or black, but there orange, yellow, coral, pink, blue, and white varieties on the market. Birds like holly berries later in the winter, after they have been frozen several times. This allows you to get a good winter show and still feed your feathered friends. Birds also like to shelter in the evergreen holly shrubs during winter.
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Growing holly shrubs both deciduous and evergreen holly shrubs prefer sightly acidic soil but can be grown in more alkaline soils with the right fertilizers.
They like rich, well drained soil in full sun, although in the south light shade is fine. The winterberry group will stand damp areas, although it will do well in average garden conditions. Evergreen holly shrubs like some protection from winter winds, at least while they are young.
The evergreen holly shrubs are slow growing, the deciduous are much faster growing, in the spring both benefit from some acidic fertilizer. Cottonseed meal, pine needle and other organic mulches are good. Keep holly shrubs watered during dry spells.
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