Tolerant of pruning, trim off sprigs of holly in winter to decorate for the Holidays.
A tough, reliable evergreen shrub useful for hedges and screening, the Nellie R. Stevens holly (Ilex Nellie R. Stevens) is a hybrid between Burford holly and English holly. Growing 15 to 35 feet tall and two-thirds as wide with a pyramid-like shape, it often displays thousands of red berries in fall and winter. It is appropriate to grow in all parts of North Carolina, which falls within its U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zone range of 6 through 9. Pam Beck and Laura Peters, authors of "Best Garden Plants for North Carolina" share that the holly prospers in an acidic soil out of drying winds. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Walk across your garden to locate an ideal location to grow the Nellie R. Stevens holly. Besides an acidic soil (pH lower than 7.0), this holly tolerates any soil type as long as it does not remain soggy or flood after rains or irrigation. The fullest growth occurs in a full sun exposure. Beck and Peters mention partially shaded locations suffice but American woody plant expert Michael Dirr of the University of Georgia comments that even in deep shade, this evergreen holly maintains dense branching and foliage to be a good screen.
2. Plant the holly shrub any time of year the soil is workable -- avoid planting during droughts when soil is hard or dry and in winter when frost makes the soil impenetrable. Make the planting hole the same depth as the root ball of the Nellie R. Stevens holly but two to three times as wide. Don't plant it too deeply; the trunk flare should be equal to or 1 inch above the top of the soil once planted.
3. Water the holly to maintain an evenly moist soil during the growing season, supplementing natural rainfall. Do not allow the root ball of a newly planted holly to dry out for the first year. Once established, Nellie R. Stevens holly is drought tolerant, but tends to always look lusher if soils don't become too dry.
4. Scatter a 2 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch around the root zone of the holly. Use pine bark, pine straw or fallen leaves to deter weeds, retain soil moisture and shade the soil to keep the holly plant's roots cooler in the hot North Carolina summers. Extend the mulch at least 2 to 3 feet beyond the reach of the branch tips, as that's where the newest roots extend in the soil.
5. Apply a granular, slow-release fertilizer product to the mulch area (the root zone) of the holly in spring and midsummer. Use any well-balanced landscape formula, such as 10-10-10, following product label directions for dosage based on the size of the Nellie R. Stevens holly you have. Although not necessary, fertilizing the holly hastens growth. Fertilizing also prevents the foliage from turning yellow-green in infertile soils or if soil pH is neutral to slightly alkaline (pH 7.0 to 8.0).
6. Prune the branch tips of the holly as needed with a hand pruners or a pruning sheers. The best time for pruning is in very late winter, as the buds soon swell and grow in spring to fill in any bare spots created from pruning or sheering. Dead, broken or diseased branches can be pruned out any time of year. Make the pruning cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch above a lower branch junction, leaf or dormant bud.
Tags: Nellie Stevens, Stevens holly, North Carolina, Nellie Stevens holly, acidic soil
