Meserve Holly

This ilex meservae ("Blue Princess") went into the ground last week. It is a remarkably hardy plant, withstanding temperatures as low as -30 F, and tolerating a range of conditions from shady to sunny and from wet to dry. These traits combined with its relatively quick growing habits should help establish this as a great foundation plant. To help these plants along, a small amount of Holly-Tone was scrathed in to the soil around the plant.

Also known as a Blue Holly, this plant is a hybrid of a hardy Japanese Holly with a more traditional looking English Holly. Not suprisingly, to get these red berries to set on female plants, a male plant needs to be within several hundred feet. It is best to plant at least one male along with several females. Both male and female should be of the same variety to ensure that both sexes are in bloom at the same time.