Ilex OPACA

Ilex OPACA - American holly, Opaca holly, Holly.

Christmas plant. Can be grown in bonsai style!

The genus of trees and shrubs Holly (Ilex) from the holly family (Aquifoliaceae) has glossy dark green (or two-toned) leathery leaves and bright berries of red, orange, yellow, white, or black color that ripen in autumn and remain on the trees all winter. Species of American holly are larger than European holly; their leaves are larger and brighter, but share a similar typical spiny-toothed outline.

American holly is a slow-growing evergreen dioecious tree with a pyramidal crown, reaching 5-10 m (16-33 ft) in height, native to the eastern and central parts of the USA. The dark green leaves of American holly are thick, leathery with a toothed edge, larger than those of European holly, reaching 5-10 cm (2-4 in) in length. It blooms for two weeks with small, greenish-white fragrant flowers in May-June. It bears fruit with bright red or orange poisonous berries.

Holly seeds require a long stratification period: first they are kept for 4 months in a warm environment, then 2-4 months in a cold environment at a temperature of 4-5 °C (39-41 °F). Under home conditions, after the warm period, seeds are placed in the refrigerator in late autumn or winter and sown in spring.

Before sowing, seeds are soaked for 24 hours, then sown on the surface and covered with a thin layer of soil. They are moistened with a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in the light at a temperature of 21-22 °C (70-72 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Overwatering and drying out of the sowings must be avoided.

Seed germination may also require a prolonged period, sometimes even 2-3 years. In our store, seeds have undergone a warm aging period and are already stored in a cold environment; upon purchase, specify the duration of the completed cold stratification.

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Under indoor conditions, holly does not require excessive attention. It grows well in a mixture of fertile turf soil, peat, and sand taken in equal parts. Every spring it is fed with a liquid complex fertilizer diluted at 30 ml (1 fl oz) per 10 l (2.6 gal) of water. It is repotted once every two years into a larger container.