Species Chinese holly
green-colored, elliptic leaves with smooth margins and gray woody stems

Chinese holly

Ilex cornuta 'Delcon'

Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta 'Delcon') is a beautiful evergreen shrub grown for its glossy green foliage. Its leaves are long and oval, with serrated edges, and the tips of its leaves are spiny. It grows in an upright shrub form and can reach up to ten feet in height and width. The shrub produces small white flowers in the spring, and then produces an abundance of small red berries in the winter. Chinese holly is an ideal hedging plant for residential landscapes as it is hardy and easy to care for. Its dense growth makes it an excellent privacy screen, and its spines make it a barrier for animals and people.

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Cutting,Layering Propagation,Grafting Propagation,Division,Seed Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

7 - 9

Flowers:

White Flowers In Spring

Sun:

Full sun,part shade

Fruits:

black Fruits Ready In Fall

Edible:

Yes

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

Low

Maintenance:

Moderate

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Thorny:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta 'Delcon') should be watered once a week with about 1 inch of water each time. To ensure that your Chinese holly receives the proper amount of water every week, it is recommended to check the soil’s moisture before watering; if the top 2 inches of soil are dry, it’s time to water. Avoid overwatering, as this can cause root rot and fungal diseases. Watering first thing in the morning is the best time in order for the plant to take in the moisture before the hot sun arrives.

sunlight

Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta 'Delcon') does best when grown in a location with full sun to part shade, with 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. It can tolerate more shade than other varieties of Ilex, but still needs at least 4 to 6 hours of sun. In areas where the sun is especially intense, some additional afternoon shade may be beneficial for the plant. It is important that the soil not be too moist for Ilex cornuta 'Delcon' as well, as wet soil can cause root rot and other problems for the plant.

pruning

Chinese holly should be pruned once per year during the spring or summer months, just after flowering. Pruning should be lightly done in order to maintain the shape of the bush. Remove any dead or damaged branches, and then thin out any branches that cross or rub against each other. If needed, an overall light trim can be done in order to reduce the size of the bush. Finally, remove the suckers that sprout up around the edges of the bush.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Harvest Fruit

The best time to start harvesting the fruits from Ilex cornuta 'Delcon' is in late October or early November.

Starts Flowering

Chinese holly typically starts flowering in late spring, usually in May or June.

Starts Flowering

Chinese holly typically starts flowering in late spring, usually in May or June.

Hardiness Map