Ilex cornuta
Chinese Holly
China, Korea
Medium sized, dense rounded shrub.
Full sun, in moist, well-drained soils. Is grown extensively in the south and shows good heat and drought tolerance. A tough, durable plant.
Depending on the cultivar used the plant can serve as a groundcover, low massing plant, hedge, screen and specimen small tree. A bird-attracting plant. Fruiting is best maintained if both the male and the female plant are located near each other.
Alternate, oblong-rectangular, typically spined margin.
Young stems are consistently a yellow green color. Mature bark is an attractive silver gray color.
Dioecious, creamy white, quite fragrant.
Drupe, orange-red to red in color, .25 to .33 inches
Cuttings taken any time of the year will root if treated with 1000-3000 ppm IBA quick dip, place in peat:perlite and mist. Bottom heat is also helpful.
'Burfordii' - 20 to 25 feet tall, leaves with a single terminal spine.
'Carissa' - 3 to 4 feet compact plant with a single terminal spine.
'Dwarf Burford' - 5 to 8 feet compact shrub.
'Rotunda' - 3 to 4 feet tall, with leaves typical of the species.