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Broadening the gardeners palette |
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Broadening the gardeners palette |
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Botanical Name: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Ilex - Holly
Illicium - Anise Tree Ilex Deciduous shrub/Evergreen shrub Full sun to shade Holly A large and important genus of evergreen and deciduous woody plants that hail from all over the northern hemisphere. They vary in size and shape from ground-hugging dwarfs to spirelike trees. The shrubby kinds offered here are useful—according to their size—in rock gardens, along foundations, in shrub borders, or as evergreen accents. I. crenata, the Japanese Holly, and I. glabra, Inkberry, can be sheared for use as formal hedges. Many Hollies are prized for their showy berries, which are produced only by female plants. If you plant a female without planting a male of the same species or hybrid group in close proximity, you will not have berries. The good news is that one male plant can pollinate many females. Put the females up front, tuck a male pollinator in behind them, and you’ll have a good display of colorful berries.
Ilex crenata – Japanese Holly This species is valued chiefly for its small, oval, evergreen leaves, which are borne on densely branched plants. Some of the female cultivars have attractive fruits. I. crenata has been cultivated in Japan for centuries and is today one of the most popular evergreen landscape plants in the United States. Because the cultivars vary so widely in size, we’ve broken them down into three groups—dwarf, low to midsize, and large. All thrive in full sun or partial shade and in well-drained, slightly acid soil. They are well adapted to city conditions. Zone 6, except as noted.
Dwarf forms for Rock Gardens or Bonsai Use I. c. ‘Delaware Diamond’. (‘Elfin’.) Male. The slowest growing plant in our nursery. It has tiny, Thyme-like leaves and forms a perfect mound. Smaller and slower than Buxus microphylla ‘Compacta’. A rare treasure for the collector. Height after 25 years: 2ft. Zone 7.
I. c. ‘Dwarf Pagoda’. Female. A charming plant with tiny round leaves; an upright, asymmetrical habit; and occasional small black fruits. It has very short internodes, so the foliage is especially dense. Makes a ready-made bonsai. Grows just 1–2in a year for us. Very old plants may achieve a height of 2–3ft. Zone 7.
I. c. ‘Green Dragon’. Male. Similar to its sister seedling ‘Dwarf Pagoda’, but more vigorous. Mature height: 2–3ft. Zone 7.
I. c. ‘Ivory Tower’ Witches-Broom. Female. A very low, mounding shrub—not the least towerlike. Its small, variegated foliage is green with a white edge. In fall, it produces a crop of yellowish white berries. A hard-to-find collector’s plant. Superb in the rock garden. Grows very slowly. 15in x 15in.
Low to midsize forms for hedges and foundations I. c. ‘Beehive’. Male. A fine-textured, very densely branched shrub with a broad, upright habit. Its foliage is a lustrous dark green and is much narrower than that of other I. crenata cultivars. Size after 25 years: 4ft x 6ft.
I. c. ‘Golden Gem’. Female. Bright golden yellow foliage makes this cultivar useful as an accent plant in the garden—and in the garden center. Color holds well the year round. Plant in full sun for brightest gold. ‘Golden Gem’ has a broad upright habit. Size at 8 years: 2ft x 3ft.
I. c. ‘Helleri’. True Form. Female. This slow-growing, dense, mounding cultivar is among the most popular and useful foundation plants in the country, in part because it responds so well to pruning and shearing. Leaves are a flat dark green. Fruits are rare. We are careful to take only side cuttings to maintain the true, compact spreading form. 2–3ft x 4–6ft.
I. c. ‘Hoogendorn’. (‘Compacta Hoogendorn’.) Male. An excellent compact selection with broad, deep green leaves. Forms a mound about 21/2ft x3 ft.
I. c. ‘Midas Touch’. Male. Small, shiny leaves are irregularly variegated gold and light green. Usually makes a low mound but may form an upright leader. Prune out the leader or allow it to form a towering highlight above lower plants (we have ours underplanted with Hostas). Plants without a leader grow 2ft x 3ft. Zone 7.
Large upright forms for screening I. c. ‘Cherokee’. Male. A very broad, densely pyramidal form with medium green foliage. Excellent for making a tall hedge or screen. Grows to a height of 8–10ft. Exceptionally hardy: Zone 5.
I. c. ‘Jersey Pinnacle’. Male. Glossy, deep green foliage covers a shrub that is pyramidal in habit yet not overly formal. An excellent selection that is gaining rapidly in popularity. 6ft x 4ft.
I. c. ‘Sky Pencil’. Female. As the name suggests, a fastigiate cultivar. The dense foliage is dark green, the fruit black. A superb accent plant. Particularly useful when planted in pairs flanking a gate or entryway. Also a good subject for containers. 8ft x 2ft. Ilex glabra – Inkberry Inkberry is a handsome evergreen Holly native throughout much of eastern North America. Its oval, spine-free foliage is medium to dark green and lustrous, and the berrylike fruits borne by female plants are, as the common name suggests, typically black. Inkberry has an upright, rounded, suckering habit and, depending on the size of the cultivar, can be used as a specimen against a foundation, grouped in a border, or massed for a natural look. Because it tolerates heavy pruning and shearing, it makes an excellent hedge. We rejuvenate our plants about every fourth or fifth year by pruning them hard in early spring, cutting within 10–12in of the ground. Inkberry thrives in sun or shade and tolerates both moist and dry soil. It prefers acid soil but tolerates a higher pH than do most other Hollies. Plants are very hardy—through Zone 5 and into Zone 4—but the foliage may “burn” in severe Zone 5 winters.
I. g. ‘Ivory Queen’. Female. A white-berried selection with deep green leaves and a dense, upright habit, becoming more open with age. Height: 6–8ft.
I. g. Male. If you want the lovely ladies from this species to bear fruit, you’ll need to include this stud in your landscape plan. It is more open in habit and grows faster than any of the females we offer. Height: 6–8ft.
I. g. ‘Nova Scotia’. Female. A very compact Inkberry that came to us from Tom Dilatush, an avid plantsman who brought it back from his travels in Nova Scotia. It has handsome, deep dark green foliage. This new selection has the makings of an outstanding foundation plant. Height: 2–3ft.
I. g. ‘Princeton’s Compact’. (‘Compacta’, ‘Squats’.) Female. This selection was introduced by Princeton Nursery in 1948 and remains the standard against which compact Inkberries are judged. It has a nice, rounded habit and lustrous, dark green leaves. One of the hardiest cultivars and also among the least palatable to deer. Mature height: 4–5ft, but under ideal conditions, plants may grow substantially taller.
I. g. ‘Pretty Girl’. (Formerly Seedling #2.) Female. The dark green, shiny leaves on this plant are 3/4in long by a little over 1/4in wide, so they look round and full. They are set close together, making for a very round, rosette-like look. Plants grow very compact and squat. 2ft x 3ft
I. g. ‘Pretty Boy’. (Formerly Seedling #3.) Male. What sets this as yet unnamed plant apart is its very narrow, dark green foliage, which is 1in long but just 1/4in wide. The narrow leaves give this compact grower a fine texture. 3ft x 4ft.
I. g. ‘Shamrock’. Female. A chance seedling of ‘Compacta’ with especially shiny, dark green leaves measuring almost 2in long and at least 1/2in wide. More vigorous than ‘Princeton’s Compact’, growing to a height of 5–6ft. Ilex Jersey Pygmy Hybrids One of the goals of renowned Holly breeder Elwin R. Orton of Rutgers University was to produce very dwarf evergreen Hollies. In the mid- to late 1970s, he distributed a number of his crosses to Environmentals and one other nursery. Environmentals founder Jim Cross selected a handful for introduction, and he and Dr. Orton came up with the names. The plants were finally registered with the Holly Society of America in 1996, so they’re still new to the trade and very hard to find. These tiny evergreens are perfect for use in a rock garden or as bonsai plants and are irresistible to collectors. They grow in full sun or partial shade and well-drained, acid soil. Zone 6.
I. ‘Jersey Jewel’. Female. Glossy, dark green leaves bearing a handful of small spines appear on a low, spreading, flat-topped form. Occasional red berries. 8in x 18in.
I. ‘Jersey Male’. Well, it’s hard work, but somebody’s got to pollinate all these diminutive females. That job falls to this little fellow, who grows to a height of just 12in.
I. ‘Jersey Midget’. Female. Very small, prickly, twisted, dark green leaves. Very congested and tightly branched, forming a compact rounded mound. Red fruit. 12in x 12in.
I. ‘Jersey Sprite’. Female. Softly spined, very glossy, dark green foliage. The leaves are very small, like those of a witches-broom. Red-tipped new growth and red berries. Height: 10–12in. Ilex Meserve Hybrids – Blue and China Hollies Kathleen Meserve, an amateur breeder from St. James, here on Long Island, produced an impressive line of hardy evergreen hybrids that have exceptionally handsome foliage, purple stems, and attractive berries. Her plants make terrific hedges and foundation plants and are also useful as screens and specimens. They thrive in full sun or partial shade and any well-drained, acid soil and can be pruned or sheared almost at will to manage their size and shape. Zone 5, except as noted.
I. x aquipernyi Dragon Lady® (‘Meschick’). Female. Unusually dark and shiny, prickly foliage covers a large shrub with a distinctly columnar or pyramidal habit. The showy berries are a dark red. Pollinated by either of the male Blue Hollies. Size in 5–7 years: 6ft x 2ft. Mature size is on the order of 15–20ft x 4–6ft. Zone 6.
I. China Boy® (‘Mesdob’). Male. Pollinator for ‘China Girl’, below. It differs from its sister only in gender. Size in 5–7 years: 4ft x 4ft. At maturity: 10ft x 10ft.
I. China Girl® (‘Mesog’). Female. A vigorous grower with rich, glossy green foliage and abundant reddish orange fruits. It has a broad shrubby form. Male pollinator: China Boy®. Size in 5–7 years: 4ft x 4ft. Ultimate size: 10ft x 10ft.
I. x meserveae Blue Angel®. Female. This is the slowest growing of the blue females. Its crinkled foliage is a glossy, blackish blue that is interspersed with large red berries in fall and winter. Pollinated by either of the male Blue Hollies. Size in 5–7 years: 3ft x 3ft. Mature size: 8ft x 8ft. More tender than the other Blue Hollies—Zone 6, with protection.
I. x m. Blue Maid® (‘Mesid’). Female. Lovely, dark blue-green, spiny foliage and vivid red berries. It has a dense, pyramidal habit. Pollinated by either of the male Blue Hollies. Size in 5–7 years: 5ft x 3ft. Mature height: about 15ft.
I. x m. Blue Prince®. Male. Glossy, deep blue-green foliage. Forms a broad, bushy pyramid. Size in 5–7 years: 5ft x 3ft. Mature height: 8–12ft.
I. x m. Blue Stallion® (‘Mesan’). Male. A vigorous shrub with lustrous, dark green leaves and purplish stems. The foliage is less prickly than that of the other blue Hollies. Size in 5–7 years: 5ft x 4ft. A very old plant can reach 16ft x 12ft.
I. x m. Golden Girl® (‘Mesgolg’). Female. Vibrant yellow berries are set off by satiny, dark green foliage. Plants have a broad, shrubby form. Pollinated by either of the male Blue Hollies. Size after 5–7 years: 4ft x 3ft. Mature plants will grow 8–12ft x 6–9ft. Ilex verticillata – Winterberry Our native Winterberry is a deciduous shrub with lightly serrated, dark green, often glossy leaves that drop in fall to reveal spectacular displays of glistening red berries. The fruit lasts well into winter, and the berried branches are an essential component of fall and winter arrangements. Winterberry makes an oval to broad rounded shrub that often suckers to form a dense, multistemmed clump. It thrives in heavy, wet soil (it is often found in swamps in the wild), but grows just fine in evenly moist soil that has an acid pH. It tolerates dense shade, but the best fruit set is found on plants that get a good measure of sun. Winterberry is particularly effective when massed along the edge of woods or near a stream or pond and belongs in every bird lover’s garden. Zone 3.
Female varieties I. verticillata f. aurantiaca. Abundant orange berries. Compact habit. Great in combination with Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ (Coral Bark Maple). Height: 5ft.
I. v. ‘Earlibright’. (‘Early Bright’.) Large, bright orange-red fruit. As the name indicates, the berries take on color earlier than do those of most other cultivars. Upright habit. 7ft x 4ft.
I. v. ‘Hoogendorn’. Bright red fruit on a compact shrub that has outstanding deep green foliage. Foliage is retained longer than other selections. Height: 4ft.
I. v. ‘Maryland Beauty’. Selected for commercial cut sprays because it fruits heavily. Berries are dark red. They color early and last a long time. Height: 5ft.
I. v. ‘Red Sprite’. A dwarf selection with exceptionally large fruit (1/2in across) and distinctive light-colored wood. 3ft x 4ft in 10–12 years; very old plants will grow twice that size.
I. v. ‘Stop Light’. Very dark green foliage and abundant, large (1/2in) red berries. Upright habit. Height: 8–10ft.
Male pollinators I. v. ‘Jim Dandy’. This male Winterberry pollinates all of the females listed above. It was selected for its slow growth, compact habit, and long bloom time, which begins early in the Winterberry flowering season. Height: 5ft. Ilex – Miscellaneous Species and Hybrids Except as noted, the following Hollies thrive in full sun or partial shade and well-drained, acid soil.
I. x altaclerensis. Female. We get our cuttings of this evergreen hybrid from a very old plant in a nearby town. Its name has been lost, but the plant is so beautiful we feel we must share it. It looks a lot like one of its parents, I. aquifolium, the English Holly, but its leaves are less spiny and the plant is much hardier—into Zone 6. The large, glossy, dark green, Camellia-like leaves cover a large thick upright form that grows vigorously. Very salt tolerant. We’re not certain which male is the best pollinator. We suggest I. pernyi. If the relationship is consummated, you’ll have an abundant crop of 1/4in, dark red berries. Mature height: 30ft.
I. ‘Joe McDaniel’. Male. A beautiful evergreen shrub with an upright habit and glossy, dark green leaves that are strongly curved and bear a few prominent spines. Makes a lovely sentinel in a border, next to a house, or flanking a garden entrance. Size in 12 years: 7ft x 5ft. Zone 5.
I. pedunculosa. The Long Stalk Holly is perhaps the hardiest of all the evergreen Hollies, enduring temperatures down to –20°F with little or no injury. It’s also a very handsome large shrub or small tree that has lustrous, spine-free, deep green foliage and (in the case of the females) pendent clusters of bright red, cherrylike fruit. Its habit is irregularly upright. Makes an excellent screen. We offer both male and female plants. Please specify when ordering. Height: 15–20ft. Zone 5.
I. pernyi. Male. This is a compact evergreen Holly that we’ve had here at the nursery for many years. It is very valuable as a pollinator. It has striking dark purple buds that open to loads of white flowers, very prickly small green leaves, and a somewhat cascading habit. An interesting plant for texture, even if it’s not needed as a pollinator. Grows slowly but will eventually reach 7ft x 5ft. Zone 6.
I. ‘Rock Garden’. Female. A dwarf, slow-growing Holly with a dense spreading habit. It has lustrous, spiny, deep green leaves and red berries. The name tells you how to use it. Like the Jersey Pygmy hybrids, it was bred by Elwin Orton at Rutgers. Male pollinator: ‘Jersey Male’ (offered with the Jersey Pygmies) or I. pernyi. 1ft x 1ft. Zone 6. Illicium floridanum Evergreen shrub Part shade to shade Anise Tree A shade-loving evergreen shrub with lustrous, deep green, Rhododendron-like foliage and frilly maroon-purple flowers that appear in late April. The flowers are followed by very decorative red fruits that remind us of pinwheels. The foliage, when crushed, releases a strong, spicy scent, which may or may not be to your taste but has been shown to repel insects and deer. (The scent of the flowers seems to repel pretty much everyone.) The Anise Tree forms a dense, upright shrub. Because it prefers to grow in shade, it makes a distinctive choice for a woodland garden where the soil is moist and rich in humus, and the pH is on the acid side. It grows to a height of 6–8ft. Native from the Florida panhandle to Louisiana, but hardy into Zone 6. At the limits of its hardiness, it may be semievergreen, losing most or all of its leaves over the course of winter.
Indigofera ‘Rose Carpet’ Deciduous ground cover Full sun to part shade Indigo This is an ornamental Indigo that spreads moderately to form an exceptionally long-blooming deciduous ground cover. The bright green leaves are pinnate—composed of many small leaflets—which gives the plants a light, airy texture. They make a nice foil for the short spikes of rosy purple, pealike flowers that appear in abundance in mid- to late May and continue to open all summer long. Plants thrive in full sun or partial shade and almost any well-drained soil. They are very tolerant of alkaline soil and dry conditions. Here in the Northeast, ‘Rose Carpet’ often dies back partially or completely over winter. No matter. New shoots will emerge in spring and bloom heavily by summer. This attractive ground cover looks especially fetching with Boxwoods (Buxus) and Lavandula ‘Nana Compacta’. Height: 10–12in. Zone 6.
Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ Deciduous shrub Full sun to part shade Sweetspire This selection of our native Sweetspire is a compact, semievergreen shrub that offers long (6in) arching racemes of sweetly scented white flowers in early summer (mid- to late June) and a long-lasting and often breathtaking display of deep, rich garnet fall color. Plants flower best and exhibit the most intense fall color in full sun, but they grow just fine in partial shade. They are found in wet areas in the wild and are ideal for poorly drained locations, yet they are surprisingly tolerant of dry soil. ‘Henry’s Garnet’ has a rounded silhouette and a multistemmed habit. In moist soils, it spreads by stolons to form a dense and exceedingly handsome thicket. An excellent choice for naturalizing in damp areas where few other shrubs will grow. Combines nicely with such fall-blooming perennials as Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, and Asters of all kinds. For greatest impact, plant in groups of at least three. 3–4ft x 4–6ft. Zone 5. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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