Hello,

My sister got married this past weekend in Richmond, VA. She picked a
very nice grotto in a very mature hardwood stand. It was like a home
away from home for me, because that's all that grows around here -
oaks, yellow poplars, etc.

But the big difference down there were the abundant american hollies.
They stuck out so nicely, with the shiny green leaves, smooth gray
bark and bright red berries. They were so abundent down there I was
hoping to bring some back, so I picked a couple dozen red berries and
brought them home, 250 miles to the north.

I was wondering if anyone's had good luck growing hollies in northern
areas. I've heard they're tolerant to zone 5 (my yard is in the 5/6
border). I was just wondering if there are any success stories. I
also have a bottomland-type area where they'll be sheltered from wind
and get plenty of water.

Thanks very much,
Dan
nw NJ

From: (dstvns)


I picked a couple dozen red berries and
brought them home, 250 miles to the north.

I was wondering if anyone's had good luck growing hollies in northern
areas.

I've had Ilex x 'Sparkleberry' (I. serrata x I. verticillata) growing in 2
Bergen County, NJ gardens for 11 years with no problems. It's the same plant, I
transplanted it from one garden to the other. But it only grows about a half
inch a year.
HTH

American Holly (Ilex opaca) is indeed a gorgeous tree that can become
sizable with age. I vividly recall the Hollies in Richmond as I did my
undergrad there. While it's amendable to pruning, I like to see it grow
naturally into its distinctive pyramidal shape. The Cedar Waxwings *mug*
these trees every fall for the berries.

You might be disappointed with growth should you get any of your collected
seed to germinate-- growth is quite slow and it will be many years before
you get a facsimile of a tree. Also, with opaca you need a male and a female
for good fruit set.

Dave


"dstvns" wrote in message
...
Hello,

My sister got married this past weekend in Richmond, VA. She picked a
very nice grotto in a very mature hardwood stand. It was like a home
away from home for me, because that's all that grows around here -
oaks, yellow poplars, etc.

But the big difference down there were the abundant american hollies.
They stuck out so nicely, with the shiny green leaves, smooth gray
bark and bright red berries. They were so abundent down there I was
hoping to bring some back, so I picked a couple dozen red berries and
brought them home, 250 miles to the north.

I was wondering if anyone's had good luck growing hollies in northern
areas. I've heard they're tolerant to zone 5 (my yard is in the 5/6
border). I was just wondering if there are any success stories. I
also have a bottomland-type area where they'll be sheltered from wind
and get plenty of water.

Thanks very much,
Dan
nw NJ

American holly (Ilex opaca) does quite well in NW NJ. Growing them from seed is
another matter. In general, the seed takes a LONG time to germinate. American
holly cuttings are pretty easy to root. If you want to plant a holly forrest I
suggest you concentrate on rooting cuttings.

I've done both, grown from seed and cuttings, feel free to email if you want more
info.

--beeky

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 20:38:17 GMT, (dstvns) wrote:

Hello,

My sister got married this past weekend in Richmond, VA. She picked a
very nice grotto in a very mature hardwood stand. It was like a home
away from home for me, because that's all that grows around here -
oaks, yellow poplars, etc.

But the big difference down there were the abundant american hollies.
They stuck out so nicely, with the shiny green leaves, smooth gray
bark and bright red berries. They were so abundent down there I was
hoping to bring some back, so I picked a couple dozen red berries and
brought them home, 250 miles to the north.

I was wondering if anyone's had good luck growing hollies in northern
areas. I've heard they're tolerant to zone 5 (my yard is in the 5/6
border). I was just wondering if there are any success stories. I
also have a bottomland-type area where they'll be sheltered from wind
and get plenty of water.

Thanks very much,
Dan
nw NJ

35 miles NW of Philadelphia, a cold microclimate toward the zone 6/5
border, they do fine. They don't appear to be very fussy, though
they're not particularly fast growing.

DaveT