Holly has been a symbol of winter and the holiday season for thousands of years, but it is a plant that can be enjoyed in the garden year-round, since it has attractive evergreen leaves, tiny white flowers in the spring and, of course, brilliant red berries in the winter. The berries not only add a festive touch to the winter garden but also attract many different types of small birds, which enjoy eating them. There are literally hundreds of varieties of holly (Ilex), and quite a few do very well in Southern California gardens. Most varieties require having a male holly plant as the pollinator and a female plant to produce berries. Other types will produce berries without pollination, and these are a good choice for smaller gardens or container planting. Varieties of holly in Southern California include Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta), English holly (Ilex aquifolium) and American holly (Ilex opaca). While not a true Ilex, Toyon, or California holly, is a native plant that also produces masses of red berries in the winter. Check with your local nursery or landscape expert to choose a variety of holly that will work best in your garden, since there are so many different types to choose from. Make sure you consider if the holly will need a pollinator, if you want berries and what size will work best for you. Some hollies can grow to 10 to 15 feet high or taller, while others come in smaller, dwarf sizes. Easy to grow, holly is drought-tolerant once it is established. Plant it in a sunny spot, since the more sun it receives the more berries it will produce. In most cases, it will take the plant about two to three years to begin producing berries after it is planted. The hot days of summer will help the plant to produce berries, and my bushes are filled with berries this year after the long, hot summer! Holly likes well-drained soil and thrives in most soil types as long as the soil is not wet. I feed mine once a year in the spring with a camellia/azalea fertilizer, such as Dr. Earth’s (4-5-4). You can fertilize in the fall too, but I only do a spring feeding, because my holly bushes are near my camellias, and I do not want my camellias to get fertilizer in the fall when they begin to bloom. In December, I have my holly pruned so that I can use the berry-laden branches in my holiday decorating. Our Christmas dinner table would not be complete without a bouquet of gifts from my garden that include holly branches, red camellias and white roses.
 
Enjoy the holiday season! Linda is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in La Jolla. Take a tour of her garden on LindaMarrone.com.