Can I Prune a Little Rascal Holly?

Growth

• Bred in 1997, Little Rascal holly is a newly-developed holly plant that offers a compact, dwarf growth habit and is useful for tight spaces. The leaves are a dark green and glossy, and turn to a deep purple color during the cold season. Both the growth habit and the leaves themselves are small and easy to keep in a tight shape. Generally this plant grows to be 2 or 3 feet tall and wide. Like many hollies, it offers symmetrical growth that rarely demands pruning.

Pruning for Appearance

• If desired, prune to remove broken or dead branches, and foliage throughout the year. Winter is the best time to accomplish this. You can use the removed holly parts as indoor holiday decorations. Cut branches back to encourage new flushes of growth and to fill in the inner parts of the bush. The shrubs will grow naturally into a rounded, even form, but can be cut back to a neat hedge or allowed to grow naturally. Pruning is not totally necessary to produce a plant with a dense and attractive growth habit.

Pruning to Shape

• Shape or shear the bush annually to promote a compact, even branching. You can even shape the small shrubs into hedges or topiary forms. Due to its slow and small growth, you probably do not need to prune to control the size of the plant, unless you are growing it in a container or in a raised growing bed. Cut branches to a neat, even structure, and plant in front of shrub borders or as garden edging.

Care

• Plant in a sunny location for the most compact growth. Soil that is rich, slight acidic and well-draining is ideal. After planting, provide plenty of watering to encourage a deep root system. Feed with an all-purpose fertilizer before the plant enters its growing season, in spring. The bright green foliage and neat growth habit of this shrub will ultimately require little maintenance for the grower.