Dwarf Burford holly

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; growth is denser and berry production usually better in full sun.

Water

Water regularly during establishment. Once established, it tolerates short dry spells but benefits from deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained, acidic to neutral soil; tolerates clay if drainage is adequate. Alkaline soil can cause yellow leaves.

Height

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), occasionally reaching 8 ft (2.4 m) with age

Spread

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), sometimes wider with age

Flowers

Small, inconspicuous creamy-white flowers in spring, followed by berries that ripen red in autumn.

Foliage

Evergreen. Thick, glossy, dark green leaves, usually with a single sharp spine at the tip.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.1 ft (0.65 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.7 ft (0.81 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (0.96 m)

5. After 5 years

   4 ft (1.3 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Invasive in

the US

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant with the top of the root ball level with, or slightly above, the surrounding soil; avoid waterlogged sites.
• Water deeply whenever the root zone starts to dry during the first growing season.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the roots, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak or a soil test indicates a need.
• Allow room for its mature width rather than relying on frequent shearing to keep it small.

Pruning. Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth, removing dead branches and shortening selected shoots to preserve the rounded shape. Repeated shearing removes flowering wood and reduces the berry display.

Late winter

Remove dead or damaged branches and carry out any necessary size reduction before new growth begins.

Spring

Plant new shrubs once the soil is workable, water thoroughly and mulch the root area.

Late spring

Check new growth for scale insects and yellowing leaves; investigate drainage and soil pH before feeding.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and established plants during prolonged drought.

Autumn

Enjoy the ripening berries and remove unwanted seedlings where Chinese holly escapes cultivation.

Winter

Keep newly planted shrubs from drying out during frost-free dry spells, especially in exposed positions.

• Plant as a broad foundation shrub beneath high windows, leaving space between the mature foliage and the building.
• Use in an informal evergreen hedge for year-round screening and winter berries.
• Repeat rounded shrubs along a formal border for structure without constant clipping.
• Combine with azaleas, camellias and shade-tolerant perennials in an acidic-soil border.
• Use as a dark evergreen backdrop for pale flowers and fine-textured grasses.

Garden styles it suits: Traditional, Southern, Formal, Low-maintenance, Winter interest and Green on green.

Plant it with: Azaleas, Camellias, Oakleaf hydrangeas, Japanese painted ferns, Hellebores and Lilyturf.

Wildlife: Flowers provide food for visiting pollinators, and birds eat the berries and shelter in the dense evergreen branches. Birds can also carry seeds into nearby natural areas.

• Scale insects can cause weak growth, sticky honeydew and black sooty mould. Prune badly affected shoots and use horticultural oil according to the label, targeting vulnerable crawler stages.
• Yellow leaves with green veins often indicate iron unavailability in alkaline soil. Test soil pH, correct drainage problems and use an appropriate iron treatment if needed.
• Root rot can develop in persistently wet soil. Improve drainage or move the shrub to a raised planting area; avoid frequent watering of already wet ground.
• Few berries may result from heavy shade, youth or repeated clipping. Allow the shrub to mature, give it more light where practical and reduce shearing.

Berries and leaves are toxic if eaten by people, cats, dogs or horses. They can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort; poisoning is usually gastrointestinal rather than life-threatening, but seek medical or veterinary advice after ingestion. The pointed leaves can also scratch skin.

Where it spreads. Chinese holly escapes cultivation and is considered invasive in parts of the southeastern United States, including North Carolina. Dwarf Burford holly can produce bird-dispersed seed; its seedlings do not necessarily retain the dwarf habit. Check local invasive-plant guidance before planting near natural areas.

• Burford holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii')

  Has very similar glossy, usually single-spined leaves but grows into a much larger shrub or small tree. Young plants are difficult to distinguish without a reliable label.

• Dwarf Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta 'Rotunda')

  Forms a low, broad mound with conspicuously spiny leaves bearing several sharp points, rather than the usually single terminal spine of Dwarf Burford holly.

• Dwarf yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria 'Nana')

  Has much smaller leaves with rounded teeth and no sharp terminal spine; its texture is noticeably finer.

Ilex is the ancient Latin name for holm oak, cornuta means horned in reference to the leaf spines, and nana means dwarf.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and root them in a moist, free-draining medium with high humidity. Seed-grown plants will not reliably retain the cultivar's compact habit.

Accepted botanical name

Ilex cornuta

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan and Korea.

Measured

Soil pH 4.5 to 5.5. Average height 305 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.