Ilex altaclerensis 'Golden King'

1 Oct, 2012
13 likes

A small holly which I plan to grow in to a standard. I bought it today, pruned it to a better shape, potted the cuttings up, and then planted it where the Stipa Gigantea used to be. Tomorrow's job is to split and replant the Stipa in the long border, if I can find enough spaces! This is a lovely holly. It's fairly fast-growing and has no prickles. The yellow variegation will fit in with my yellow theme in the front garden and the bark is a beautiful dark purple shade. It produces lovely red berries if there is a male holly growing nearby...note to self...buy a male holly next! Don't you find it odd that Female Hollies are given Male names.....just complicates things uneccessarily to my mind!

Comments on this photo

Terratoonie

Hi Karen ..I have this variety... lovely :o)

1 Oct, 2012

Karensusan63

Oh, Hi TT, I'm just off your blog! :)

1 Oct, 2012

Terratoonie

Better than having gone off my blog ..Lol.

1 Oct, 2012

Shirley_tulip

I have this too Karen ... and I agree with you on the bizarre naming of female/male plants ... so confusing!

1 Oct, 2012

Motinot

Its a wondewrful looking plant indeed...:>)

1 Oct, 2012

Bloomer

I have this one too,Karen..and also had one at our last house..I love it ..just to add,I don't have another Holly,or one nearby ..and mine is always full of berries..most of the year too..so was my last one..maybe as it gets a bit bigger,and gets established,you should get some too..:o)

2 Oct, 2012

Karensusan63

Ah, well that's good news Bloomer! Thank you everyone. I especially like the fact that it isn't prickly. My Aquifoliums in the back garden are lethal!

2 Oct, 2012

Oliveoil

Love it!

2 Oct, 2012

Karensusan63

Thanks mum. After the disaster with the hugely expensive potted lollipop one a couple of years ago (how I loved that Holly...sigh) I decided to buy small and cheap and just have patience and train it myself!

2 Oct, 2012

Terratoonie

What happened to the Lollipop ?

2 Oct, 2012

Karensusan63

Spent a fortune on it and it just died on me Terra, in that awful winter. It was Ilex Meservae 'Blue Maid'...perhaps not quite as hardy as some hollies.

2 Oct, 2012

Terratoonie

I have this one ...

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/174221-ilex-meserveae-casanova-and-conker-27-aug-2010/member/terratoonie

I planted it surrounded by other shrubs on all sides so I think that protects it somewhat in the winter.

3 Oct, 2012

Shirley_tulip

Karen, I only have the one Holly but noticed berries on it today ... no need for a male after all!:o)

3 Oct, 2012

Karensusan63

Yes, I suppose there will be males close enough in your area for the bees to get the pollen.

Terra, thanks, I just had a look!