Holly Tree Pair

This Holly Tree has been bred to fruit when young and should continue to produce fruit every year.

The white flowers appear in May and pollination is generally performed by bees and other insects. Whereas some holly varieties require both a male and a female bush for pollination, this variety is self-pollinating. Planting more than one bush together should increase the chance of berries, however.

Whilst your plant is in a small pot it will need regular watering. Aim to water it heavily and then allow the top of the compost to dry out before watering heavily again. Next year your tree will benefit from being planted out in the garden or potted up in a much larger pot. The best location for planting holly bushes is in well-drained but not dry, slightly acidic soil in full sun. That being said, most hollies are very tolerant of less than ideal locations and will grow well in part shade or dry or swampy soil.

Your plant shouldn’t need much feeding but if you are keeping it in the small pot for a while or the leaves start to appear pale of mottled then a good general purpose feed will always give it a good boost.

The berries are mildly toxic to humans and will cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten. It is best to wear gloves when pruning holly to protect against the prickly leaves.