12. Mariesii
Best japanese holly. A brief context to set expectations.
Best japanese holly: Quick notes
‘Mariesii’ is a pillar of green standing tall in the garden.
This female cultivar can top out at 20 feet while remaining a compact six feet wide, though it takes decades to reach that size.
The tiny leaves are dark green and thick, with a narrow band of white around their margins.
13. Patti O Box
Those in Zones 6 to 8 are lucky enough to be able to grow Patti O Box® (I. crenata ‘FARROWSK6’), which is a cross between ‘Sky Pencil’ and an unnamed cultivar.
It maintains a dense, compact pyramid shape that is extremely distinct.
It almost looks like a tiny Christmas tree at four feet tall and two feet wide at the base. Best of all, it maintains this shape with little or no pruning!
When I say little, that’s no joke. You may have to clip off one errant branch here or there that sticks out just a touch further than its neighbors.
Otherwise, it almost looks like you have carefully shaped the plant into a topiary, when in reality you have pretty much forgotten about maintaining it entirely.
Patti O Box®
Place it in a large container to add some interest to a patio.
Dreaming about this low-maintenance stand-out? Nab one at Nature Hills Nursery in a #3 container.
14. Sky Box
Sky Box® (I. crenata ‘Farrowone’) looks similar to the classic ‘Sky Pencil,’ but it’s shorter and slightly wider.
It stands about five feet tall and grows up to three feet wide, though it’s usually narrower.
Sky Box®
It’s tolerant of pruning if you want to create an architectural focal point, or you can allow it to take its natural columnar shape. This male plant has flat leaves.
Hurry over to Nature Hills Nursery to pick one up in a #3 container.
15. Sky Pencil
If you want a stunning, upright plant with an extremely thin shape, ‘Sky Pencil’ is it. With little or no pruning, it maintains an upright, pencil-thin form that stretches up to eight feet high.
Even at that height, the plant will only be about 18 inches wide.
‘Sky Pencil’
You can grow these close together to form a hedge, or separately as statement specimens. This is a female cultivar.
Pick up Sky Pencil plants in a variety of container sizes from Perfect Plants Nursery.
16. Steeds
‘Steeds’ has a compact pyramid shape that requires little upkeep to maintain, topping out at eight feet with a spread of six feet at the widest point.
The leaves on this female cultivar are deep, shiny, dark green.
‘Steeds’
You can find ‘Steeds’ in one- and three-gallon containers at Fast Growing Trees.
17. Snowflake
If you’re looking for a female plant, Snowflake, aka I. crenata ‘Shiro-Fukurin,’ is a slow-growing cultivar that reaches six feet tall within about 10 years, but eventually it can grow to 10 feet tall.
Photo via Alamy.
The foliage has creamy white margins with gray-green centers. Some leaves might have splotches of creamy white in the centers, and others may even be entirely creamy white.
Grow these in partial shade, as the foliage can tend to scorch in full sun.
18. Soft Touch
If you’ve ever planted a holly near a sidewalk or driveway, then you know the pain they can inflict. Those stiff, spiny leaves can be unpleasant if you brush up against them.
I. crenata ‘Soft Touch’ lives up to its name. The leaves are soft and completely devoid of spines, and the new stem growth is soft and flexible as well. Not only will you not need to avoid them, but you might also actually find yourself reaching out to brush your hand along these plants.
You’re probably thinking to yourself that Japanese hollies never have spines on the leaves, and that’s true. But not all of them are this flexible and velvety to the touch.
‘Soft Touch’
And the benefits don’t stop in the tactile world.
They’re pretty to look at because each leaf has a distinct silver vein running down the middle, which almost gives them a shimmery appearance when they dance in the wind.
To make this sweet beauty a part of your garden, head to Nature Hills Nursery.
19. Stokes
‘Stokes’ is another dwarf cultivar, but it’s slightly less cold tolerant than the similar ‘Helleri.’ Don’t grow this one anywhere below Zone 6b.
Photo via Alamy.
It tops out at three feet and spreads up to four feet wide, making it ideal as a hedge next to your home or patio.
The spreading habit on this male cultivar is elegant and open, with small, glossy, dark green leaves.
20. Straight & Narrow
If you want a columnar Japanese holly that maintains a dramatic pencil-like shape, Straight & Narrow® (I. crenata ‘PIIIC-I’) is the one.
With mature dimensions of eight feet tall and just two feet wide, it makes a perfect hedge when planted in a row, or it can fill in a narrow space.
Straight & Narrow®
This male cultivar is not as tolerant of cold or heat as some other cultivars. It’s best for Zones 6 to 8, or if you plant it in a spot in Zone 5 that offers a little protection.
Bring this tall beauty home from Nature Hills Nursery.
21. Touch of Gold
Also labeled as ‘Adorned,’ ‘Touch of Gold’ originated as a sport of ‘Hoogendorn.’
Like its parent, it is wider than it is tall and requires no pruning to maintain its shape. ‘Touch of Gold’ grows to be about 18 inches tall and five feet wide in 10 years.
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