Holly Trees (Ilex)

Ilex J C Van tol

Ilex Alaska

Ilex Golden King

Ornamental Holly Trees are a great choice for adding year-round shape and colour to your garden. Hollies are evergreen, hardy and incredibly simple to maintain. They will also thrive in containers making them a perfect decorative plant for a wide range of locations such as framing doorways or flanking pathways and steps.

Todd's Botanics stock a variety of the most popular holly trees which are suited for growth in the UK. Variegated holly trees such as the Ilex 'Golden Van Tol' and the rarer 'Silver Van Tol' sport leaves with a two-tone gradient; going from a deep, rich green to a much lighter shade as the leaf grows outward. Ilex Aquifolium Myrtifolia is our most popular small-leaved holly tree which has beautiful slim leaves and purple young shoots. It also has spines which are soft to the touch yet the plant remains reassuringly hardy to the changeable British climate. Ilex Aquifolium 'J C Van Tol' is a traditional English Holly with deep, glossy leaves and bright red berries (a simple pruning can also be a great source of decorative festive foliage).

Holly Trees are grown in quarter-standards, half-standards and standards and typically in a ball or, more informal, mop shape. Hollies are easy to maintain and very resilient to the weather, thriving in all conditions from full sun to complete shade and everything in between. Holly trees are easy to shape and a simple pruning twice a year is all that is required.