Holly BushesA Grower's Guide to Holly
Holly Types

Japanese Holly

Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) looks nothing like Christmas holly — its small, smooth, spineless leaves and black berries make it the go-to evergreen substitute for boxwood.

The boxwood alternative

Ilex crenata has tiny, glossy, spine-free leaves and a dense, fine-textured habit that reads as boxwood rather than holly. Its berries are small and black, so it is grown for foliage and form — as clipped hedges, foundation plantings, edging, and topiary. Dwarf cultivars like Helleri and Soft Touch are landscape workhorses, and Sky Pencil is a striking narrow column.

Quick tip: because the interest is all in the foliage, Japanese holly takes hard shearing better than any other holly — ideal for formal shapes and low hedges.

Growing Japanese holly

Give it full sun to part shade and moist, acidic, well-drained soil; it dislikes soggy ground and high pH. Hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8, it is one of the more cold-tolerant broadleaf evergreens for hedging.

Popular japanese holly

The 10 hollies below are among the most widely grown and dependable in this group. Each profile covers foliage, sex and pollination, berries, size, hardiness, and how to grow it well.