" The author of the following text is Joanna Zaremba from Krakow, a reader of the magazine Przepis na Ogród. "
Winter is the time when most plants are in a vegetative state. Even evergreen shrubs do not impress with their appearance at this time of the year. But not the barbed holly!Its shiny green leaves and red berries are a beautiful sight in winter.So it's no surprise that it has become a floral symbol of Christmas in the West.
Holly usually grows quite slowly, but it is a shrub that is not very capricious in terms of soil type and surroundings.I recommend it especially for small gardens.Because it is perfect for pruning, it can be formed into hedges.It usually grows up to 2-3 m, but there are examples that resemble a tree, as they reach even 15 m heights.
Almost all species of holly are dioecious, so if you want fruit, plant the male and female specimens next to each other. You have to be careful, because these inconspicuous red berries are highly poisonous.Although they are not suitable for eating, they can be a perfect decoration of the apartment in the form of bouquets and centerpieces.
Every few years, if necessary, I carry out a rejuvenating cut of the holly.I then remove all old, broken and dry shoots.
Male and female
It is impossible to recognize male and female holly (or any other dioecious plant) when buying a seedling . Both types produce tiny white flowers in spring, but only the female ones produce fruit in the fall.
Only then do we know what "gender" each specimen has. To make sure you get decorative berries, it is best to plant a few shrubs in loose groups in the garden.Ideally, you should have one male and several female plants in each of them.
