China Girl™ Holly

Inconspicuous, white flowers in spring produce abundant red berries on this holly each fall and contrast nicely against the rich dark, green leaves. It has a compact, mounded growth habit and can reach a height of 10 to 12 feet with a width of 8 to 10 feet. Requires a China boy or other Meserve holly (blue holly) for pollination to produce the prized red berries we all associate with holly. If you are lucky a neighbor may have a male holly planted nearby, although having a male directly near a female will greatly increase the chances for berry production. A low maintenance evergreen that is deer resistant, heat resistant and somewhat tolerant of drought once established. This holly would make an excellent hedge, living screen, foundation planting, specimen planting in the perennial bed or growing in a large pot or container. Winter hardy in zones 5 to 8. Holly would do well planted in any pot or container with minimum width and depth of at least 24 inches to protect the plant's roots in areas where temperatures fall below freezing for an extended period of time. Alternatively, the pots or containers could be stored indoors for the winter in a cool, but sunny area that is above freezing. Native to China and Korea. China Girl™ Holly Care Holly grows best in full sun to partial shade and prefers a moist, well-drained soil that is slightly on the acidic side. It does well when a mix of peat moss and either cow manure or compost is added to the site when planting. May be pruned occasionally, immediately after flowering to maintain its size and shape. Pots or containers need to have a minimum depth and width of 24 inches if the plant is to survive outdoors for the winter. China Girl™ Holly Spacing Plants should be spaced approximately 5 to 6 feet apart if grown as a mass planting, foundation planting, hedge, living screen, patio planting, or if grown in large pots or containers.