Ilex cornuta

• BOTANICAL NAME: Ilex cornuta
• PRONUNCIATION: I-leks core-NEW-ta
• COMMON NAME: Chinese Holly
• FAMILY: Aquifoliaceae
• NATIVITY: China
• GROWTH HABIT: Medium sized, dense rounded shrub.
• SIZE: 6 - 10' for the species. There is considerable variation in the cultivars.
• HARDINESS: Zone 7 - 9.
• CULTURE: Full sun, in moist, well-drained soils. Is grown extensively
  in the south and shows good heat and drought tolerance. A tough, durable plant.
• LANDSCAPE USE: Depending on the cultivar used the plant can serve as a
  groundcover, low massing plant, hedge, screen and specimen small tree.
  A bird-attracting plant
• FOLIAGE: Alternate, oblong-rectangular, typically spined margin
  with 5 to as many as 9 spines (rarely 1 terminal), 1 1/2 - 4" long.
  Leaves are very stiff, almost plastic-like and typically a yellow green color.
• BARK: Young stems are consistently a yellow green color. Mature bark is
  an attractive silver gray color.
• FLOWERS: Dioecious, creamy white, quite fragrant.
• FRUIT: Drupe, orange-red to red in color, 1/4 - 1/3".
• PROPAGATION: Cuttings.
• PESTS: Scale can be problematic and a variety of minor insect and diseases
  can affect the plant. In general quite durable.
• CULTIVARS:
  • `Burfordii' - 20 - 25' tall, leaves with a single terminal spine.
  • `Carissa' - 3 - 4' compact plant with a single terminal spine.
  • `Dwarf Burford' - 5 - 8' compact shrub.
  • `Rotunda' - 3 - 4' tall, with leaves typical of the species.
• PHOTOS (click to enlarge):

PLANT INFORMATION

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