Is holly easily propagated by cuttings. Common holly (Ilex aquifolium). Where is the best place to plant

In nature holly distributed virtually everywhere in tropical and temperate forests. Genus holly includes over 400 species evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and even vines. Latin name holly ( Ilex) comes from the name of the holm oak ( Quercus ilex). In the English speaking world holly known by the name Holly , it is also a beautiful female name.

blooms holly inconspicuous, small light flowers that form in the leaf axils in spring. More often male and female flowers formed on different trees, so for education holly berries it is necessary to plant male and female trees not far from each other. Holly fruits, colloquially called berries, from a botanical point of view, are stone fruits. young shoots holly have a pointed shape, and the leaves are simple alternate, at the ends they can be whole or cut. Leaves holly holly equipped with sharp spikes. spikes holly unusually prickly and retain their sharpness for a long time even on fallen old leaves. When removing these leaves, it is easy to pierce your finger, even with thick gardening gloves.

Holly (holly) and Christmas

Holly has long been valued by man. Like the mistletoe holly used in Ancient Rome during the Saturnian winter festivities, on the site of which, with the advent of Christianity, Christmas arose. In the beliefs of the druids holly symbolized the sun, so the ancient Celts decorated their houses with young shoots holly during the dark winter months. So far in Christian countries holly is a traditional Christmas plant and is widely used during the winter holidays to decorate the room and the festive table, as a material for making a Christmas wreath, and even sometimes instead of the "main Christmas tree - the Christmas tree.

North American Indians used the leaves of the local sickening holly ( Ilex vomitoria) , known for its laxative and emetic properties, as an antidote during its religious rituals and in medicine. From the young leaves and twigs of this holly they made a drink they called black tea. Interestingly, the Paraguayan drink mate (mate) made from dried leaves Paraguayan holly ( Ilex paraguariensis) , a chinese kudin- dried leaves holly kudinsky ( Ilex kudingcha) . Leaves guayusa holly (Ilex guayusa) contain caffeine and are also used as an invigorating tea in Ecuador.

Types of holly (holly) in garden and park culture

Holly holly (common holly, holly, Ilex aquifolium) and its many forms and hybrids. Cold resistance holly holly- presumably from the climatic zone 5 . Known female varieties of holly: Handsworth New Silver, Golden King with green-yellow leaves and red berries; Amber- compact shrub with spectacular orange berries. Male varieties of holly: Silver Queen(the name of the variety does not always correctly reflect the genus of the plant). Variety of holly holly Ferox Argentea has small spotted leaves. Self-pollinating varieties holly : J.C. van Tol, Pyramidalis. These are trees or shrubs with bicolor speckled green-yellow leaves with almost no thorns and red berries. Young shoots of these hollies have a pronounced purple hue.

Holly Altaklarensky ( Ilex x altaclerensis) . Exceptionally hardy and hardy evergreen trees with thornless leaves. Holly Altaklarensky great for growing in cities, because. able to resist gas pollution. Known female varieties holly Altaklarensky: Belgica Aurea, Wilsonii (with bright red berries and young shoots of a purple hue) and male Hodginsii . There are varieties with bicolor leaves, see. a photo.

Other popular among gardeners cold-resistant kinds holly include: broad-leaved holly ( Ilex latifolia) American holly ( Ilex opaca) with yellow, orange and red berries, Ilex glabra with black berries Ilex crenata with black berries (varieties Convexa, Golden Gem ), Ilex x meserveae (female and male varieties blue princess and blue prince respectively), whorled holly ( Ilex verticillata) - exceptionally frost-resistant and decorative deciduous holly, in winter its bare branches are completely covered with bright red berries, female grade winter red .

Holly (holly): cultivation

Holly (holly) in the garden does not require much attention. Holly grow on sandy or clay soils subject to their good water permeability and humus content. Holly drought-resistant, many species are frost-resistant. Holly willingly put up with penumbra, but it should be borne in mind that in varieties with two-color or three-color leaves, the contrast of colors will best manifest itself on open sun. Yes, in my garden Holly and Altaklaren hollies feel great in the most unfavorable conditions of arid shade. Formative pruning holly if necessary, it is better to do after the end of fruiting, i.e. at the start of the new season. In bicolor varieties holly it is better to prune shoots with green leaves if they appear.

At the time of buying holly the need for cross-pollination should be taken into account: for most species holly one plant may not be enough for abundant fruiting. Two trees, male and female, are best planted close to each other.

Holly occasionally affected by late blight ( Phytophthora), which leads to rotting of the roots and death of the plant. Trees affected by the disease should be destroyed, and the soil around should be disinfected.

Holly (holly) in the garden

AT garden design hollies find great use in a strip of bushes of a natural garden, where they provide the necessary shelter for insects and winter food for birds, thanks to the berries that are stored on hollies actually before the start of a new flowering. It is thanks to birds that reproduction occurs hollies in nature: eating berries, birds carry the seeds contained in them literally everywhere. Yes, young sprouts holly are among the most intrusive weeds.

Holly lend themselves perfectly to a curly haircut, so they make beautiful topiary. Bonsai enthusiasts also like to work with slow-growing holly.

From a practical point of view hollies are of interest as windbreaks, seashore plants (because of their high salt tolerance) and as very reliable hedges. Because of the unusually thorny leaves holly closely planted plants can be safely entrusted with the protection of the garden from unwanted visitors. See what decorative compositions for Christmas and New Year are obtained from holly!

There is a legend in Celtic mythology about the tree-kings - the eternal contest between the Holly King, who ruled the waning (dark) part of the year, and the Oak King, who ruled the waxing (bright) part of the year.

In a day winter solstice Yule defeated King Oak and ruled until midsummer, but on the day of the summer solstice the Holly King returned again and defeated his rival. And so every year two parts of one whole fought, brothers-enemies who could not exist without each other. The Drama of Kings represents the constant change of the seasons.

So, Yule is the celebration of the return of the King Oak. From the forests of green in a green wreath comes the King to the festival Oak Leaves. The Young King, ruler and personification of the bright half of the year, triumphs over the Holly King (King Holly). Light King Oak rules from Yule to Lita, from the longest night of the year to its longest day. The day of his return is a celebration of family and family ties, domestic warmth. This is the time to remember your past achievements, make plans, make plans and dream.

Trees were sacred to the ancient Celts. The Celts considered the holly (holly) to be a magical tree, symbolizing the continuity of life; its branches were used to decorate homes to protect against the forces of evil. During the summer, mighty oaks are the most prominent trees in the forest, and in winter, when all the leaves are falling, the holly or evergreen holly stands in bright greenery with red berries among bare trunks - a real miracle of winter. In summer, the holly is lost among the rest of the greenery.

Holly is a plant that is common on almost all continents, both in our latitudes and in the tropics. It's interesting that magical properties it is given everywhere. For example, the North American Indians used it during various religious rituals.
Holly plays a special role in European tradition. The custom of decorating houses with evergreens (holly, mistletoe, conifers) at Christmas dates back to pre-Christian times. Palm, laurel and holly branches were used by the Romans during the celebration of the Saturnalia (on the winter solstice). Centuries later, early Christians chose holly to decorate their homes at Christmas.

The Holly King was often portrayed almost like Santa Claus, only dressed in a green robe adorned with holly sprigs. And King Oak is the Horned God of the Forests, or something like Green Man, one of the most revered gods of the druids. This legend was gradually forgotten, another story was born from it - about the battle of the Green Knight and Lord Gawain, which entered the cycle of stories about King Arthur, and then the area of ​​\u200b\u200blegends left and she left us only the image of a man in green - a merry Christmas elf who performs by the light of the moon, various tricks, in mockery of people.
Christianity dissolved the ancient pagan beliefs in itself, but could not destroy them completely, no matter how hard it tried. The legend says that when all the trees heard that Christ was going to be crucified, they agreed among themselves that they would not allow their trunks to be used to make a cross. And when the ax touched them, they broke into a thousand pieces. Only the holly remained intact and allowed himself to be made an instrument of the Lord's passions. Its sharp leaves represent the crown of thorns and suffering, and the red berries represent the blood of Christ. There is an opinion that a wreath was laid on Christ's head from a holly and its berries, which were originally white, turned red from the blood of the Savior. Perhaps that is why this plant later became a recognized symbol of Christmas.
So, with the advent of Christianity, the beliefs of the Celts went into the realm of legends, the main attributes of Yule, gradually became symbols of Christmas, and the tree kings bothered people more with their battles, but were not forgotten.

Holly, or holly (Ilex) is a genus of popular trees and shrubs from the Holly family. Hollies are prized for their glossy, leathery leaves, dark green or bicolor, and bright, attractive berries that can be red, yellow, white, black, or orange color. The berries ripen in autumn and are well preserved on plants all winter.
In culture, the following types and cultivars of hollies are most common:

I. aquifolium - holly, or common, and its many forms and hybrids. Hardiness zones - presumably from 5. Handsworth New Silver and Golden King female plants with green-yellow leaves and red berries are known, as well as Amber - a compact shrub with showy orange berries. From male cultivars: Silver Queen (the name does not always correctly reflect the genus of the plant). Variety Ferox Argentea has small spotted leaves. It is worth noting two valuable self-pollinating cultivars - J.C. van Tol and Pyramdalis are trees or shrubs with almost thornless bicolor green-yellow leaves and red berries. Young shoots have a pronounced purple hue.

I. altaclerensis are exceptionally hardy, hardy evergreens. Great for growing in cities, because. can resist gas pollution. Known female varieties Belgica Aurea and Wilsonii (with bright red fruits and purple young shoots) and male - Hodginsii.

I. opaca - American holly Tall (up to 15 meters) plants from North America with red, yellow or orange berries. Frost resistance - zones 5-9.

I. glabra - hardy (zones 4-9), compact shrubs with black berries.

I. crenata are small, abundantly fruiting shrubs with black berries. Known cultivars are Convexa and Golden Gem. Cold resistance zones - 5-8.

I. x meserveae is another cold hardy variety with red berries. Known female and male cultivars Blue Princess and Blue Prince

I. verticillata is hardy (zones 3-9) and extremely ornamental. deciduous shrub, densely covered in bright red berries in winter, which look delicious against the background of bare branches.
In nature, hollies are virtually ubiquitous. They grow in both tropical and temperate forests. The Holly genus consists of more than 400 species and includes evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and lianas. The Latin name of the genus comes from the name of the holm oak (Quercus ilex).

Hollies bloom inconspicuously, with small light flowers that form in the axils of the leaves in spring. More often, male and female flowers are formed on different plants, therefore, for the formation of fruits, it is necessary to plant male and female plants not far from each other. Holly fruits, commonly called berries, are botanically stone fruits. Young shoots of hollies have a pointed shape, and the leaves are simple alternate, at the ends they can be whole or cut with thorns. Holly thorns are unusually sharp and retain their sharpness even on fallen old leaves. When removing these leaves, it is easy to pierce your finger even with tight gardening gloves.
Hollies have long been valued by man. Like mistletoe, holly was used in ancient Rome during the Saturnian winter festivities, on the site of which, with the advent of Christianity, Christmas arose. In the beliefs of the Druids, the holly symbolized the sun, so the ancient Celts decorated their homes with young shoots of a plant in gloomy winter months. Until now, the holly is a traditional Christmas plant and is widely used during the winter holidays as an indoor decoration and holiday table, as a material for making Christmas wreaths, and sometimes even instead of the "main" Christmas tree - a Christmas tree. The North American Indians used the leaves of the local tea holly (I. vomitoria), known for its laxative and emetic properties, as an antidote during their religious rituals and in medicine. They made a drink from young leaves and twigs, which they called black tea.
As a garden plant, hollies do not require much attention. They are ready to grow in sandy or clay soils, provided they have good water permeability and humus content. Hollies are willing to put up with partial shade, but keep in mind that varieties with two-tone leaves will show the contrast of colors best in full sun. Of the diseases, hollies are sometimes affected by late blight (Phytophthora), which leads to rotting of the roots and death of the plant. Plants affected by the disease should be destroyed, and the soil in the entire area should be disinfected.

Shaping pruning, if you want to carry out them, is best done after fruiting has ended. Many hollies benefit from pruning. In bicolor varieties, it is better to cut off shoots with green leaves, if any.

It is better to plant hollies as young plants in winter or early spring, older ones do not like such anxiety. When buying a new plant in garden center, it is necessary to take into account the need for cross-pollination for most cultivars and that one plant may not be enough for abundant fruiting.
In garden design, hollies find great use in forest belts of natural or wild gardens, where they provide much-needed shelter for insects and food for birds, thanks to their berries, which remain on the plants virtually until new blooms begin. By the way, it is thanks to birds that the reproduction and spread of hollies in nature occurs: eating berries, they spread the seeds contained in them everywhere. In my garden, young holly sprouts are one of the most intrusive weeds, appearing in the hardest to reach places: under a hedge or under a fence. If you do not get rid of them right away, then the sprouts put out a deep long root, which will be much more difficult to get rid of.
Hollies planted in tapeworm and in groups look great. Good partners for hollies are traditionally mahonia, hydrangeas, spindle trees and many other trees. You can use hollies in formal designs: they lend themselves well to curly haircuts, so they make beautiful topiary. Bonsai lovers love to work with slow growing holly trees.

From a practical point of view, hollies are of interest as windbreaks, seashore plants (because of their high salt tolerance), and as very reliable hedges. Due to the unusually thorny leaves of many species, plants can be safely trusted to guard the garden from unwanted visitors.

At ornamental plant holly has a rich history. In Western culture, it is used for Christmas wreaths, and in general it is an excellent decoration for the autumn garden. The holly is unpretentious. However, in order for the beauty of its foliage and berries to be fully revealed, several nuances must be taken into account in planting and care.

Holly holly: description of the plant

Ornamental culture is also known as common holly or holly. This is one of the most popular species of the Holly genus. The birthplace of culture is the humid and mild climate regions of Western Europe and the Mediterranean. It is characterized by slow growth and long life cycle up to hundreds of years. The holly is an evergreen tree that grows in the wild to an average of 15-20 m.

Other holly characteristics:

• the trunk reaches 30-80 cm in diameter;
• bark - smooth, gray;
• young shoots - pointed;
• leaf type - simple, with wavy-curved edges that end in thorns;
• the arrangement of the leaves is the next;
• the surface of the leaf plates is leathery;
• size - 5-12x2-6 cm;

• foliage color - rich green (upper side) and light (back side);
• flowers - small, white;
• flowering occurs in late spring and early summer;
• fruits are drupe balls, poisonous to humans, up to 1 cm in diameter.

Attention! The holly holly got its name for a reason. The thorns on the leaves are really sharp. Moreover, they retain this property even in fallen form. You can pierce your finger when cleaning, even with gloves.

The value of the autumn holly is in the fruits. Scarlet drupes stay on twigs all autumn and winter. The rest of the time it's nice to admire decorative foliage. The culture has many hybrids:

• Silver Queen - silvery green;
• Golden King - the leaves are cast in gold;

• Amber - orange berries and atypical short stature;
• Ferox Argentea - small leaves with yellow spots and edging;
• Pyramidalis and J.C. van Tol - the leaves also have yellow blotches, only they are larger in themselves;
• China Boy and Girl, Blue Maid and Baron, Blue Princess are hardy varieties similar to the classic holly.

Attention! When choosing holly varieties for your garden, pay attention to their type of pollination. There are self-pollinating, as well as purely female or male forms. Perhaps one tree on the site will not be enough.

Holly planting

It is best to root the culture in late winter or early spring. Start with the right choice planting material. Experts advise buying holly only in nurseries. Preferably in a container. On sale can be seedlings with a closed or open root.

In the second case, carefully study the roots: there should be at least 4 of them, when bent, they should not break or crack. The aerial part of the seedling should also be checked for elasticity, the presence of live buds, and the absence of any damage.

Attention! Frost-resistant holly hybrids are suitable for growing in the middle lane. In extreme cases, the culture can be grown in a tub in a mini version, bringing it indoors for the winter.

Holly is not picky about the composition of the soil. The only requirement is humus content and high water permeability. The holly grows normally in partial shade, but in the bright sun it will only become brighter.

Planting biotechnics:

1. Dig a hole 1x1 m or more. Pour a mixture of fertile soil with coarse sand in the center to the bottom.
2. Place the seedling, spreading the roots evenly over the soil mound.
3. Dig in and water generously.

Features of caring for holly holly

Holly growing technique open field simple. It is important for the gardener to consider the following points:

1. The tree needs regular watering, especially during the drought period. The holly runs the risk of not blooming at all if it has little water. Make sure the soil does not dry out.
2. Prune annually in the spring. The minimum task is to remove damaged and dry branches, the maximum is to form a crown. Since the holly grows slowly, it can be made into a low and lush shrub.
3. Also, spring optimal time for feeding holly. He needs both mineral complexes and organics. The plant responds well to.
4. Holly can get sick with late blight. It attacks the roots and causes the death of the entire plant. It is ineffective to treat this disease. If you see clear signs, dig up and burn the trees, and disinfect the ground around.

When pruning a tree, consider the following nuances:

• if the branches are shortened too much, the holly may not bloom at all;
• flowers are formed exclusively on two-year-old shoots.

During summer or autumn pruning you will surely touch the flower buds next year, which the tree lays in the current season. Therefore, it is beneficial to carry out this procedure in the spring, until the rudiments appear.

Reproduction of holly holly

Holly seeds are very tenacious. Therefore, in nature, culture is propagated by birds. It is possible to independently obtain sprouts from seeds after a long stratification (18 months). Therefore, gardeners usually resort to more fast way- cuttings.

The method ensures the safety varietal features tree:

• pick up semi-lignified shoots;
• cut segments 4-5 cm long, and each should have a pair of internodes. The cutting should begin and end with a kidney;
• make cuts at an angle;
• prepare a substrate consisting of two layers: humus (10 cm) and sand (3 cm);
• plant blanks under the film, deepening into the soil by 1.5 cm.

Before rooting, young cuttings need appropriate care. They don't like intense sunlight and drying of the soil. Instead of watering, use spraying. Carry out the procedure daily, while opening the greenhouse for ventilation. Rooting occurs within 15-30 days.

Holly - sapling or deciduous evergreen shrub , most common in tropical and temperate climates. Since ancient times, the branches of this plant have been used to strengthen the entrance to the dwelling. It was believed that the holly could ward off evil spirits.

Baltic, Celtic, Slavic, Scandinavian peoples used the branches of this shrub. Holly branches can be found on postcards, packages, wreaths and garlands. Little is known, but it belongs to poisonous plants.

plant description

Holly has the following characteristics:

The most common types

In total, there are about 400 species of this plant, but we will consider three of them.

Holly holly

Found in Asia Minor, Southern Europe, North America. This is an evergreen pyramidal or spherical tree, reaching a height of up to 15 meters. Its life span is up to 100 years. In nature, it grows even in the North Caucasus. Outwardly, it looks like a Christmas tree.

Its branches are spreading and short. The crown is dense, oblong or pyramidal. The leaves are oblong-ovate, with wavy edges.

Holly flowers white color, fragrant small. For 14 days they will remain on the branches. Then they will be replaced by bright red fruits, the size of which can reach up to 1 cm. They remain on the stalks throughout the winter.

This species can be perfectly located in the shade, resistant to frost, tolerates temperatures up to minus 22 degrees below 0. A plant located in middle lane Russia, is not able to winter, therefore it is grown only in winter gardens.

It is worth knowing that the holly holly is the variety due to which other varieties were bred. It is a dioecious plant with a deep root system. Fertile neutral soil is suitable for growing this species. It prefers either full shade or partial shade. It perfectly withstands smoky, polluted air.

holly goblin

This plant is native to Sakhalin and Kurile Islands. This species can be either a tree up to 7 m high or a shrub. The latter is less common.

Holly crenate stands out for its dense greenery, appearance reminiscent of boxwood. Bred in Japan. In this country, it is a dwarf trimmed shrub.

holly mezerva

This is a hybrid of common holly, wrinkled and Korean. It is especially common in Russia, as it can withstand frost very well. This species has many varieties, the leaves of which are darkish, blue-green in color.

This plant loves shade, rich, light and moist soil. A substrate of the following components is perfect for growing: humus, peat, sand, clay mixed with activated carbon. Drainage is also needed. Its thickness must be at least 3 cm.

Holly holly needs cross-pollination. Therefore, you should have several such plants on the site. You can combine varieties by planting male and female trees next to each other.

It should not be planted in a place where there is a lot of sunlight. The plant may suffer from this, therefore the best place for him, where there are no bright rays. However, there are bicolor species with variegated leaves. In order for them to retain their color, these plants should be planted in a place with bright lighting.

Holly does not tolerate excessive heat well. For the summer, it is recommended to move it to a room where the air temperature will not exceed 20 degrees Celsius. Only young plants should be replanted every year. After that, as needed, every 3-4 years. In the spring, it is simply moved to a larger container.

The main methods of reproduction:

• seeds;
• cuttings. This method is more common. Semi-lignified cuttings 10 cm long are needed. For their rooting at the end of summer, the cuttings are placed in a peat-sand mixture and placed in a place where there are no direct sun rays and high temperature. After the roots have appeared, the cuttings are seated in separate containers.

Since holly - beautiful tree, it is often grown in pots. At home, the tree needs to be transplanted in the spring every 2 years into a larger pot.

Holly holly does not require excessive attention. Suitable for both sandy and clay soils. The main thing is that they are waterproof and humus is present.

The plant does not like drought. In summer, when it is hot, it should be watered abundantly. To winter period the amount of watering should be reduced to moderate, preventing the soil from drying out. Pruning should be done after fruiting.

In the spring, young plants should be covered in order to protect them from sunlight. From spring to autumn, once a month, you should feed the tree with liquid complex fertilizer, diluted in this ratio of 30 ml per 10 liters of water.

Growing features

When growing holly, you may encounter some difficulties:

1. Fungal diseases. In this case, spots of a purple hue will appear on the leaves. The fungus appears due to the fact that there was not enough watering with high acidity of the soil. Or the plant did not have enough necessary nutrients- potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus.
2. Holly can infect late blight, which will lead to root rot and death of the tree. If this disease is detected, then the plant should be immediately destroyed, and the soil around should be treated with disinfectants.
3. Holly does not tolerate dryness, heat. He prefers cool places.

Holly holly - not too whimsical plant. Knowing the characteristics of this plant, varieties, planting and care rules, there should not be any particular difficulties. It is important to follow all the recommendations, and only in this case the plant will grow beautiful, pleasing to the eye.

On the vast territory of the largest continent - Eurasia - more fully than on others, one can notice the manifestation of the planetary law of geographical landscape zonality. Despite the fact that the border between Europe and Asia is quite long, the formation of their soil covers proceeded differently. That is why the flora of Eurasia is so diverse. Various plants there are so many that it's hard to count. Names of ornamental trees and fruit crops continents are so numerous that they make up weighty volumes. We will consider just one rather interesting plant.

Holly

Photo of this representative flora our continent is familiar to everyone. With its branches, fixed together with mistletoe and rowan tassels over the entrance to dwellings, our ancestors drove away long before Rome was founded. The name of ornamental trees of the Holly family is found in Celtic, Baltic, Scandinavian and Slavic literature.

Description of the species

Holly, whose photo can often be found on Christmas cards, belongs to the family of the same name. It has about four hundred varieties distributed in both temperate and tropical regions. Few people know that all of its species are Photo and their names are in any plant growing manuals.

These are evergreen shrubs or trees with prickly, serrated, rarely entire leaves. All representatives of the dioecious have small, axillary flowers and berry-like fruits - drupes that look very appetizing, but are inedible: they are all poisonous plants.

Photos and names of holly varieties

There are many varieties of this representative of the Eurasian flora. For example, the crenate, also called Japanese, subspecies is an evergreen plant, the height of which reaches only two and a half meters. It has small and rounded leaves.

Another cultivar, mezerva holly, is a hybrid that has many cultivars with very dark bluish-green leaves. The purely "male" Blui Prince is considered an excellent pollinator for his "brothers". Golden and Blue Princesses are also same-sex. Some varieties, including Blue Maid, have both female and male flowers on the same plant. They have the usual green foliage, not as spectacular as, for example, Blue Angel, because it is devoid of a characteristic metallic sheen.

Most varieties have red fruits, although some, such as Golden Princess, have yellow fruits.

Many people think that hollies are only evergreen, but this is not true. There are also deciduous subspecies in the family of the same name. Of particular interest is the outwardly decorative whorled holly. It is native to the northeastern regions of North America. It gets along well with other hardwoods. You can meet whorled holly only on wet soils, for example, in swamps or along the banks of watercourses.

Ilex aquifolia

That is the name in Latin of the most common variety - holly holly. He is valued for his brilliance leathery leaves- dark green or bicolor - as well as for the brightness of eye-catching fruits of red or yellow, white or black and even orange.

The holly (or common) holly looks like the real one. It reaches a height of up to nine, and a width of up to six meters. It has a conical (and in adult specimens slightly rounded at the top) shape. Small white and strongly fragrant flowers appear in June or July, depending on the region. They remain on the branches for only two weeks. Then they are replaced by bright red seedlings from berries, reaching a size of up to half a centimeter. It is the holly - a plant on the basis of which many varieties were bred.

Description of the species

This evergreen shrub with a pointed-conical openwork shape grows rather slowly. The branches of the holly-holly grow very densely, and the lower lateral shoots are hanging down. They are densely ovate-lanceolate leaves with notched-wavy edges. Holly -

He has a deep root system. The lateral processes are widely distributed. They can form root suckers. Holly holly grows well on fertile neutral soils. He prefers partial shade or even full shadow. Young plants may suffer from frost. However, holly holly is a tree that can withstand smoke with gas content in the air. It propagates by cuttings.

Spreading

Holly is widely cultivated in Western Europe. Its cultivation in the Russian middle lane is somewhat difficult due to the low winter hardiness of the young. But it can be safely planted in gardens in the Caucasus or on the Black Sea coast. Holly is well suited as a plant with attachment cultivation: overexposure to winter cold in cold rooms with low, but positive temperature. It grows well not only on drained, but in general on any, not too poor, including moderately dry-moist, humus soils. At the same time, on relatively moist soils, this shrub is more photophilous. When breeding, it must be remembered that holly often dies from sunburn.

Care

Holly is a plant that does not require special attention in the garden. It can safely take root on both sandy and clay soils, but subject to their high water permeability, as well as the presence of humus. Holly holly is drought-resistant. Formative pruning of the shrub is best done after fruiting.

When planting in the garden, keep in mind that Holly holly requires cross-pollination. Therefore, for abundant fruiting on the site, you need to have several plants, you can even combine two varieties by planting male and female trees not far from each other.

Sometimes the holly is affected by late blight, leading to rotting of the rhizomes and complete death of the plant. Therefore, when this disease is found on a tree, the plant must be immediately destroyed and the soil around it disinfected.

In case of prolonged drought, the plant should be watered very abundantly, especially young or grown in pots. Every spring, holly-holly must be fed with liquid fertilizer, diluted at the rate of thirty milliliters per bucket of water.

In biblical stories

One of the legends says that where the Savior stepped on the ground, holly bushes sprouted. There are even images on which on the head of Christ, instead of a thorny one, a prickly wreath is put on precisely from a holly.

According to biblical story, once the berries of this plant were snow-white, but they turned red, stained with the blood of the Savior.

"Magic power

Holly (or ordinary) people paid attention to holly long before the advent of Christianity. The inhabitants of the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, where this shrub grows wild, have deified it since ancient times, endowing it with magical powers.

This hardy plant is able to survive even in deep forest shade, where not a single seed will sprout. It enters the peak of its decorative effect in late autumn and survives the winter evergreen, decorated with leaves and fruits, armed with its blood-red poisonous berries giving protection to people.

It was thought that it could be made magic wand, and a spear with a shaft made of its wood will bring unconditional victory over evil forces. And today there is still a belief that bountiful harvest holly fruit is a harbinger of a harsh winter.

Fruit

Holly berries ripen in autumn. They winter well on the tree. This plant is one of the most beloved and most expressive symbols of Christmas. In Christianity, holly holly, a photo of which is even in biblical literature, is an expression of suffering. It is symbolized by blood. In general, the plant represents eternal life and revival.

Holly berries have been used centuries ago in the treatment of fever and several other ailments. There is evidence that it was they who more than once helped with smallpox epidemics that broke out in Europe.

Traditional healers know that both the fruits and leaves of the holly holly, although they have antipyretic and some other medicinal properties but must be used with great care. Drugs made from them are very dangerous due to the content in them of such a highly toxic substance as ilicin.

Only fifteen or twenty berries will be enough for an adult to get severely poisoned after eating them. Although in fairness it should be noted that there are not very many fatal cases in history. German healers say that after poisoning, you need to knock out a "wedge with a wedge": it is enough to rub against the trunk of the first holly bush you meet for almost immediate healing to occur.

Holly holly in landscape design

This is beautiful plant finds excellent use, like other shrubs of the natural garden. It provides food for birds in winter thanks to its fruits, which remain on the branches until the next flowering actually begins. And it is thanks to the birds that the holly reproduces in the wild: eating berries, they spread the seeds contained in them almost everywhere.

Gardeners know that young shoots of this plant are the most intrusive weeds. Holly holly lends itself perfectly to a curly haircut. Therefore, designers very often use it to get beautiful topiary. Bonsai enthusiasts also love to work with this shrub.

In the garden

From a practical point of view, the holly (or common holly) is of interest as a windbreak planting, well suited for planting on the seashore due to its high salt tolerance. In addition, it produces very reliable. Unusually prickly holly leaves on plants planted closely - reliable protection of the garden from unwanted visitors. And decorative arrangements made from this holly at Christmas or New Year make this culture even more attractive.

At home

Due to the fact that the holly is very beautiful, many people prefer to grow it in pots. At home, it needs to be transplanted every two years (in the spring) into a container more spacious than the real one. The substrate for growing in a pot should be a mixture of fertile soddy soil, peat and sand, taken in equal amounts, seasoned with complex fertilizer.