Holly Plant Types

Blue Hollies

• Blue hollies are cold hardy to USDA planting zone 5 and zone 4 locations that tend to have milder winters. Blue angel is a female plant that has a full, dense growing habit and reaches heights up to 8 feet tall. It is not a very cold hardy plant and would not be a good candidate for planting in zone 4.

  Blue prince is a male plant with a full compact growing habit. It reaches heights up to 12 feet tall but can be pruned to keep it from becoming so large. It is a cold hardy plant that withstands winter temperatures of negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Blue stallion is another tall male type that grows to 12 feet tall. It grows faster than Blue prince and has a long blooming period, making it a good selection for a pollinator holly.

  Honey maid and Gretchen are both female plants that have yellow spots and edges on the leaves. They are shorter types, growing to only 6 feet tall. They are both winter hardy and would be good candidates for growing in zone 4.

China Hollies

• The Chinas are more tolerant of weather extremes than the blues. They are cold hardy to negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit and also tolerate hot summer weather quite well. The glossy green leaves tend to curl under along the edges in a slightly cupping manner. The Chinas have a round compact growing habit. China boy and China girl both grow to a height of 10 feet. China girl is a good producer of 1/3 inch red berries and China boy is the best choice in pollinators to ensure an abundance of berries.

Dragon Lady

• The dragon lady holly is a female shrub that is not as hot or cold hardy as the Chinas. It is more suitable for planting in zones 6 through 8. Dragon lady is a tall growing shrub that reaches heights between 10 and 20 feet with a spread of 4 to 6 feet. It can easily be trimmed and shaped for use as a hedge. Blue stallion and blue prince are the best pollinators to plant with dragon lady for an abundant crop of red berries in the fall.