Ilex aquipernyi x integra 'Rock Garden' - Rock Garden Dwarf Holly

An excellent evergreen groundcover and rock garden selection; bright red berries are somewhat sparse; requires male pollinator for fruit; does best in evenly moist, acidic soils

Height: 12 inches. Spread: 24 inches. Sun: full sun to partial shade. Hardiness zone: 4b.

Ornamental features

Rock Garden Holly is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. It features an abundance of magnificent red berries in early fall. It has attractive forest green foliage edged in light green. The small spiny oval leaves are highly ornamental and remain forest green throughout the winter.

Landscape

Rock Garden Holly is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds and bees to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Recommended for: Rock/Alpine Gardens, Border Edging, Groundcover, Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens, Container Planting.

Planting and growing

Rock Garden Holly will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. This is a dioecious species, meaning that individual plants are either male or female. Only the females will produce fruit, and a male variety of the same species is required nearby as a pollinator.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder.