Ilex cren. Dark Green

Ilex crenata 'Dark Green' is a dense, small-leaved evergreen holly prized as a box substitute for crisp hedging, neat edging and topiary. Its tiny, glossy dark green leaves hold colour year-round and clip cleanly to maintain sharp lines or rounded forms. Naturally compact and slow-growing, it develops a tight, bushy structure with minimal coarse pruning. Small white flowers appear in late spring to early summer, though they are modest; this plant is chiefly valued for its foliage and structure. Grow in full sun or partial shade, in moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil that is neutral to acidic, and avoid chalk where foliage may yellow. Excellent for formal designs, containers and structural planting.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Full sun or partial shade

Rate of Growth: Slow

Soil: Moist but well-drained, neutral to acidic soil; avoid chalk

Hardiness: Fully hardy

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Plant at a Glance