Nellie Stevens holly

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; the densest growth and heaviest berry crops usually develop in full sun.

Water

Water regularly during establishment; once established, water deeply during prolonged dry spells. Avoid persistently wet roots.

Soil

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

Height

15-25 ft (4.6-7.6 m)

Spread

10-15 ft (3-4.6 m)

Flowers

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

Foliage

Evergreen. Glossy, dark green, leathery leaves with a few sharp teeth along the margins.

Growth

Fast when young, often 1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m) a year in favourable conditions.

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

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   8 ft (2.3 m)

3. After 2 years

   9 ft (2.6 m)

4. After 3 years

   10 ft (2.9 m)

5. After 5 years

   12 ft (3.6 m)

About 13 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

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply through the first two growing seasons whenever the root zone begins to dry.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Allow for the mature spread rather than planting close to walls, paths or overhead wires.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak or a soil test indicates a deficiency.
• In colder locations, choose shelter from drying winter winds.

Pruning. Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth, removing dead, crossing or badly placed branches and shortening selected shoots to preserve the natural outline. Repeated shearing reduces flowers and berries; for a hedge, keep the base wider than the top.

Late winter

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

Spring

Plant in cold-winter regions, water thoroughly and mulch the root area.

Late spring

Check new growth for scale insects and inspect yellowing leaves for drainage or soil-pH problems.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and take semi-ripe cuttings if you want more plants.

Autumn

Plant in mild-winter regions while the soil remains warm; leave berries for winter display and birds.

Late autumn

Water thoroughly before the ground freezes if autumn has been dry, especially for recently planted trees.

• Plant as a tall evergreen boundary screen, allowing enough width to avoid constant clipping.
• Use a single specimen as a pyramidal focal point on a lawn or at the back of a large border.
• Form a formal hedge that provides a dark backdrop for flowering shrubs and pale perennials.
• Combine with camellias, azaleas and shade-tolerant ground planting in an acidic-soil garden.

Garden styles it suits: Formal, Traditional, Southern, Grand estate, Woodland and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Camellia, Azalea, Oakleaf hydrangea, Japanese forest grass, Autumn fern and Flowering dogwood.

Wildlife: Spring flowers attract bees and other insects. Birds eat the berries, often later in winter, and the dense evergreen branches provide shelter and nesting cover.

• Scale insects can cause sticky honeydew and black sooty mould: inspect stems and leaf undersides, encourage natural predators and use a labelled horticultural oil when appropriate.
• Spider mites may cause fine stippling during hot, dry weather: rinse foliage thoroughly and avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum insecticides.
• Root rot can develop in waterlogged soil: improve drainage before planting and avoid frequent watering of already wet ground.
• Yellow leaves with green veins often indicate iron deficiency in alkaline soil: test the soil and correct the underlying pH problem rather than repeatedly adding general fertiliser.

Treat the berries and leaves as toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses. Berries are the main ingestion risk and can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhoea; larger amounts may cause more serious illness. Do not eat the fruit, and seek medical or veterinary advice after a significant ingestion.

• Burford Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii')

  Its leaves are usually broad and rounded, with a single sharp terminal spine; Nellie Stevens typically has several additional teeth along the leaf margins.

• English holly (Ilex aquifolium)

  Typical English holly has more strongly waved leaf margins and more numerous sharp spines, although upper branches can carry nearly spineless leaves.

The cultivar honours Nellie Robinson Stevens of Maryland, who raised the original plant from seed.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer and root them under humid conditions in a free-draining medium. Seedlings will not reliably retain the cultivar's characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Ilex

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