To the holly (lat. Ilex), or holly, includes several hundred species of trees and shrubs. All of them belong to the Holly-headed family. These plants have decorative foliage and fruits, distributed throughout Europe, in the subtropical and temperate zone of South and North America. Many of the holly are relic plants.
Botanical Description
Among hollies there are evergreen and deciduous species. Most of them are hygrophilous, prefer fertile soils. They grow in places slightly hidden from the sun and in areas completely shaded by the dense crowns of trees.
Trunks and adult shoots of holly are covered with gray or greenish smooth bark. Dark green leaves are leathery, without pubescence, simple, ovate, with a pronounced central and lateral veins, occasionally with yellow or white bordering. In some species, the edges of the plates have thin, sharp spikes; in others, they are figuredly cut.
The flowers are located in the axils of the leaves, rather inconspicuous, white or yellowish, small, collected in racemose inflorescences. Do not represent decorative value.
Fruits - round brilliant bright red, black, yellow or orange drupes. They remain on the branches until winter. You can’t eat fruits, because the flesh, like the leaves, contains strong toxic alkaloids that can cause poisoning. The photo shows a holly with fruits
Kinds
All representatives are dioecious plants, i.e., their female and male inflorescences are located on different individuals. There are creeping dwarf shrubs and fairly powerful trees reaching a height of more than 20 m.
Common holly
A large tree about 15–18 m high with a greenish-gray smooth bark. The leaves are shiny, glossy, dark green, with notched edges and hard short spikes. The back side is lighter. The plant blooms in May or early June. In autumn, bright red berries about 1 cm in size gathered in small brushes ripen. An ordinary holly grows in the southern and temperate climates of Europe and North America; The view is the basis for the breeding of many hybrid decorative varieties.
Paraguayan Holly
A low tree or shrub about 5-6 m high. It forms a dense crown, which is very decorative. The leaves are leathery, bright green, 10-12 cm long and about 5 cm wide. Ovate plates with solid, slightly serrated edges. Small, yellowish flowers. Fruits - numerous red drupes about 0.5 cm in size. The species is found in South America.
Holly broadleaf, or Chinese
Far Eastern evergreen tree or large shrub up to 8-12 m in height with a spreading wide crown. The bark is grayish, young shoots are bright green. The leaves are large, shiny, serrated, elongated, regular oval in shape, 10-15 cm long. The berries are dark red, 0.6–1 cm in diameter.
Holly wrinkled
Another Far Eastern view. This dwarf evergreen creeping shrub reaches a height of not more than 60 cm, forms characteristic wrinkled leaf blades. Shade-tolerant, has low frost resistance. At a temperature of -20 ° C dies. Does not bloom and does not bear fruit. Distributed on Sakhalin, the Kuril and Japanese islands.
Holly Holly
The birthplace of the species is Japan. Externally, the plant resembles boxwood. This is a shrub or tree with long thin dense shoots and small smooth rounded leaves. It grows slowly, practically does not bear fruit, the maximum height is about 7 m.
Colchis holly
Distributed in the Caucasus and Asia Minor. At home it grows to the size of a small tree, in a more severe temperate climate it forms a dwarf shape, not higher than 60 cm. The shoots are long, flexible. The leaves are dark green, serrated, have a lighter back side. Inflorescences are small, white. Fruits are small red berries. The plant is unstable to cold, but quickly recovers after freezing.
Holly whorled
A very decorative deciduous plant, common in eastern North America. This low shrub, about 1-1.5 m in height, has a wide dense crown. The leaves are leathery, rather small, about 3-4 cm. The fruits are bright orange, small, ripen in late September. If you do not pick it off, it remains on the branches all winter, contrasting brightly with the bare shoots of other trees and shrubs.
Landing
Plants develop well on fertile, loose, breathable and drained soil. In poor soil, it is necessary to add leaf humus, peat, turf soil and sand in equal parts. Shady and well sheltered from the wind places are perfect for ordinary holly and whorled holly, because these are the most hardy and frost-resistant species. Grades Blue Baron, Blue Maid are able to withstand temperatures up to -28 ° C. A popular hybrid variety Ilex × meserveae can grow only in regions where winter temperatures drop below -15 ° С.
Other species in the middle lane will not survive in open ground. But you can put the heat-loving holly in a container with soil, take it to the site in the summer, and put it indoors for the winter.
Planting material must be strong, have flexible healthy shoots, live buds and developed roots. Work is carried out at the end of April after complete snow melting and the end of frosts.
A pit for seedlings is dug at least 70 cm in width and depth. Its volume should exceed the size of an earthen coma by 2 times. Drainage is laid at the bottom, then a soil layer is poured, the roots are carefully placed, the hole is evenly filled with prepared soil, a little tamped with it. The neck should be flush with the surface. Immediately after planting, plants are watered, spending about 15 liters of water per 1 bush.
Care
In the first 2 seasons, the soil must be moistened 1-2 times a week. In the future, the irrigation regime is adjusted in accordance with the amount of spring, summer and autumn rains. Overmoistening, as well as a lack of moisture, should not be allowed, because this can lead to decay or drying out of the root system and shoots. In hot, dry weather, the crown can also be sprayed.
The holly should be fed periodically, adding fertilizer to the soil. In the spring, before the start of the growing season, it is recommended to make compost, combining it with complex mineral compounds. Throughout the warm season, fertilize plants twice a month. Use any organic matter, including rotted mullein, bird droppings, and mineral fertilizing: phosphorus, potash.
Weeds are weeded out, near-stem circles are regularly loosened to a depth of about 5 cm. To prevent damage to aphids, the bushes are treated with insecticides.
Sanitary pruning of branches is carried out annually, frozen and diseased shoots are removed. A decorative haircut is done only after the trees reach the age of 4–5 years.
For winter, the holly roots are preferably insulated. To do this, they canmulch a thick layer of foliage or sawdust. In severe frosts, the crowns are completely covered with burlap or agrofiber.
Breeding
The best way to propagate holly is vegetative, because it allows you to maintain varietal qualities of plants. Seeds quickly lose their germination, so in practice they are not used to obtain seedlings.
Cuttings are harvested in May from one-year-olds who have not had time to completely lignify shoots. The segments should be about 10 cm long, have at least two internodes. The bases are treated with a growth stimulant, the leaves are removed. Cuttings are placed in a third in a nutrient moist substrate from a mixture of peat and sand. Rooting occurs after 2-3 months. Young specimens are grown during the year in a warm room, then planted in open ground.
When breeding with layering in the spring, cuts are made on the selected side shoots, bent and attached with brackets or wire to the soil, lightly sprinkled with soil. During the summer, fertilizers are regularly watered and added. The following spring, rooted shoots are separated from the adult holly and transplanted.
Application
Holly branches are a decoration that is used in many European countries. On Christmas, their shoots decorate the premises.
Leaves and fruits contain useful substances, are used in traditional medicine, cooking.
Landscape design
Holly plants are planted in gardens and greenhouses in groups or singly, used as hedges, to create topiary. Hybrid variegated varieties look especially impressive. The dense decorative crown, perfectly amenable to formation, slow growth, and relative unpretentiousness make these plants almost universal.
Tea
The leaves, young shoots and fruits of the common, Paraguayan, Chinese and broadleaf species of holly contain biologically active substances:
- theobromine, theophylline, caffeine and other alkaloids;
- glycosides;
- organic acids;
- bitterness;
- saponins;
- tannins;
- vitamins.
From the young leaves of Chinese holly, bitter kudin tea is prepared. With it, they strengthen the body, struggle with excess weights, high blood pressure, metabolic disorders, poor digestion, and nervous disorders.
Paraguayan holly - raw materials for the manufacture of mate. This drink stimulates the cardiovascular system, brain function, improves mood, gives energy, helps detoxify and reduce fatigue, and prevents apathy and depression.
Holly leaves and flowers are used in folk medicine for the preparation of diuretics, anti-inflammatory, painkillers, hemostatic and bactericidal agents.
Wood
The woody holly of light brown, olive or yellowish color with a contrasting natural pattern looks like boxwood. The density is about 570–700 kg / m3. Below average moisture resistance and resistance to moisture. The fibers are arranged in different directions, so wood is difficult to process. However, grinding, gluing and painting material lends itself well. Due to its durability and decorative appearance, it is used for the manufacture of small parts, wooden jewelry, souvenirs, design elements.