Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
[IBC] Ilex vomitoria "Schilling's dwarf" Yaupon holly; miniature hedge q's
Hello, I purchased eight Ilex vomitoria "Schilling's dwarf" Yaupon holly plants to use as a miniature hedge underneath my oak trees. I live in the hot, tropical part of Florida. When I got home, I noticed the tag said "full sun," something I did not notice while in the store. First, has anyone here had any luck growing Schilling's Yaupon holly in partial or complete shade? I have read that it "grows best in full sun," but where I live, we have plants that say they take "full sun," but actually grow better in partial shade because the sun is very intense here. This isn't really an appropriate topic for a bonsai list (you might try rec.gardens), but . . . They'll do fine in anything but DEEP shade and they'll probably survive there but will be quite thin and leggy. Second, would this be a hard plant to keep trimmed to approximately one foot high, one foot wide, and three feet long? I am not an expert hedger/trimmer, so I have a lot to learn. (Two shapes I have considered: (a) a rounded one-foot-by-one-foot; (b) a one-foot-high by one-foot-high by three-foot-long oval) Ugly, but they'll survive -- boxwood might have been better (and cheaper). Third, I am wondering if planting this so closely to my live oak trees (the dwarf holly will be a hedge encircling the oaks) will damage or encroach on the oaks. I have read that this type of holly has a hardy, widespread root system. The holly is more likely to suffer than the oak. If these are large oaks, you MAY find that you have a very hard time digging holes for these plants because oak roots are thick and always so close to the surface. Digging the holes and cutting the oak roots could damage the oak if it is smallish. Fourth, is the plant easily contained within a specified growing area? I would like to easily keep it contained with clippers. If it tends to creep and spread underground and slowly take over my lawn, I wouldn't be too happy with it. (I don't want to end up fighting to eradicate it from my lawn.) I Vimitoria doesn't spread invasively, and since the Schillings doesn't flower or fruit you won't have seeding problems. "Easily" is another matter. Hedges are very high maintenance. Instructions are to plant the plants four feet apart. If I want to keep them at a dwarf size of one-foot-wide by one-foot-high, what happens if I plant them closer together; say, two feet apart? You have more holes to dig. If there are better choices for a miniature hedge underneath my oaks, I would be open to suggestions. I have heard of a type of Japanese boxwood with a serrated, very tiny leaf, but do not know the species or if it even exists. B. microphylla 'Kingsville dwarf', but if you need a hedge, this'll be fine -- especially since you've already bought them. Though I must say, 8 plants doesn't sound like much of a "hedge." But please remember the rec.gardens newsgroup when you have general gardening questions like these. Jim Lewis - - This economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment. - Gaylord Nelson ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Chris Cochrane++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Yaupon Holly (and other holly questions) | North Carolina | |||
Ilex vomitoria "Schilling's dwarf" Yaupon holly; miniature hedge q's | Bonsai | |||
[IBC] Yaupon Holly | Bonsai | |||
[IBC] Mail order source for Schilling's holly?? | Bonsai | |||
Mail order source for Schilling's holly?? | Bonsai |