Chinese Holly Care Tips On Growing Chinese Holly Plants

If you are wondering how to grow Chinese holly, you'll do best to plant it in moist soil with excellent drainage. It is happy in full sun or partial sun, but also tolerates shade. Growing Chinese holly is easiest in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. These are the recommended zones.

How do you take care of a Chinese holly?
When should I prune my Chinese holly?
Does Chinese holly grow fast?
How do you trim a Chinese holly?
Is Chinese holly invasive?
Are Chinese holly berries poisonous?
How long do holly berries last?
Can Holly be hard pruned?
Why are my holly bushes dying?
How do I identify a Chinese holly?
What is Holly used for?
How far apart should holly bushes be planted?

How do you take care of a Chinese holly?

Chinese Holly appreciates moist, well-drained soil when planted in the ground or a pot. Take extra care to maintain a moist, not soggy, environment in containers.

When should I prune my Chinese holly?

Chinese holly plants can be pruned in the winter while they are dormant. This is especially convenient if you want to use their evergreen leaves and bright red berries for winter decoration. You could have begun pruning in November. You also could prune in early February or any time in between.

Does Chinese holly grow fast?

Fastest growing, most disease resistant hollies ever bred. HARDINESS: Zones 6 - 9. They grow up to 3 feet per year unpruned.

How do you trim a Chinese holly?

Cut branches just above new leaf buds or all the way back to main branch. Don't remove lower limbs of English holly. Instead, allow them to branch to the ground. If holly bushes require some major rejuvenation, however, they can be cut to the ground; again, this should be done during winter dormancy.

Is Chinese holly invasive?

Chinese holly is an introduced species in the United States, originating from China and Korea. It is considered invasive in parts of Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi. Songbirds will eat the fruit, which can be an especially important part of their diet during winter months.

Are Chinese holly berries poisonous?

Holly exposure accounts for the 3^rd highest rate of genus-specific human plant exposure calls in 2010, with 877. The berries containing the toxin saponin are poisonous; the leaves are not. The toxic component of the berries is saponin.

How long do holly berries last?

Pictured from top left, clockwise: English holly is a prickly holiday standard that's ideal for use in garlands and wreaths. It lasts up to one week indoors, longer in cut arrangements.

Can Holly be hard pruned?

This is a drastic form of pruning used in an attempt to rejuvenate an old holly or to reduce the size of an overgrown holly that has outgrown the space it was intended to fill. Plants that require rejuvenation can be hard pruned in late winter to almost any height, even to a height of 6 to 12 inches above the ground.

Why are my holly bushes dying?

If the ground is still is frozen, the plants' roots can't absorb the water needed to replenish the supply in plant tissues. As a result, the leaves or needles turn yellow and then brown, a condition often called "winter burn" or "winter kill."

How do I identify a Chinese holly?

Chinese holly cultivars range from large screen plants like 'Burfordii' to the well-behaved and smaller 'Carissa. ' One trademark of most Chinese hollies is the distinctive, glossy dark green leaves with five to nine prominent spines on the margin. These are not minor serrations, but more like sharks' teeth.

What is Holly used for?

Historically, American holly fruit tea was used as a heart stimulant by American Indians. Yaupon, another type of holly, was used to cause vomiting, and Yaupon tea was used as a ceremonial "cleanser" in South America. Holly is also used for cough, fever, digestive disorders, heart disease, and other conditions.

How far apart should holly bushes be planted?

Space the plants 2 to 3 feet apart, depending on the variety used and overall size. Because holly shrubs tend to have shallow root systems, add mulch to keep the soil cool and moist. These shrubs are dioecious plants, meaning they are separated into two sexes.