Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess'

Earlier today I noticed that this holly in the main car park border was looking very good. At the moment it is absolutely covered with clusters of bright red, eye-catching berries which can stay on the plant for many weeks in mild weather before falling.

Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess' is evergreen with dark bluish-green, prickly leaves through the year. The new leaves in spring have a faint purple tint and darken as they age.

A female holly, this Ilex is not self fertile and requires a male holly planted somewhere nearby for pollination in late spring. Without a nearby male holly, Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess' will not produce any berries.

We have planted several female hollies in the same area within a few metres of each other and they are all pollinated by a single small male holly which is pretty much out of sight at the back of the border (my wife tells me this is the ideal spot for most men!).

The male holly in question is actually a Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Prince' and is identical in appearance to the holly shown in the photos, except it does not produce any berries at all and so has less ornamental value.

In a cold frosty autumns, the berries are also popular with wildlife, birds in particular.

Further information about growing this reliable holly can be found on my website by clicking on the following link: Ilex at Bluebell Nursery