Common Types Of Holly Shrubs: Learn About Different Holly Plant Varieties

The holly family (Ilex spp.) includes a diverse group of shrubs and trees. You'll find plants that grow only 18 inches (46 cm.) tall as well as trees as tall as 60 feet (18 m.). The leaves may be hard and spiny or soft to the touch. Most are dark green, but you can also find purple tints and variegated forms. With so much variation in holly varieties, you're sure to find one to fill your landscape need. Let's take a look at some of the different types of hollies.

Holly Plant Varieties

There are two common types of holly categories: evergreen and deciduous. Here are some popular types of holly shrubs to grow in the landscape.

Evergreen Hollies

Chinese Holly (I. cornuta): These evergreen shrubs have dark green leaves with pronounced spines. Chinese holly shrubs tolerate hot temperatures but sustain winter damage in areas colder than USDA plant hardiness zone 6. The different types of hollies in this group include ‘Burfordii,' which is one of the most popular cultivars for hedges, and ‘O. Spring,' a variegated type with irregular bands of yellow on the leaves. Japanese Holly (I. crenata): Japanese hollies are generally softer in texture than Chinese hollies. They come in a range of shapes and sizes with endless uses in the landscape. These hollies don't do well in areas with hot summers, but they tolerate colder temperatures better than the Chinese hollies. ‘Sky Pencil' is a dramatic columnar cultivar that grows up to 10 feet (3 m.) tall and less than 2 feet (61 cm.) wide. ‘Compacta' is a neat, globe-shaped group of Japanese hollies. American Holly (I. opaca): These North American natives grow up to 60 feet (18 m.) tall, and a mature specimen is a landscape treasure. Although these types of hollies are common in woodland settings, American holly isn't often used in residential landscapes because it grows very slowly. ‘Old Heavy Berry' is a vigorous cultivar that bears lots of fruit. Inkberry Holly (I. glabra): Similar to Japanese hollies, inkberries are distinguished by their black berries. Species types tend to have bare lower branches because they drop their lower leaves, but cultivars such as ‘Nigra' have good lower leaf retention. Yaupon Holly (I. vomitoria): Yaupon is a group holly plant variety with small leaves that have a purplish tint when young. Some of the more interesting types have white berries. The leaves on ‘Bordeaux' have a deep, burgundy tint that becomes darker in winter. ‘Pendula' is a graceful, weeping holly often used as a specimen plant.

Deciduous Hollies

Possumhaw (I. decidua): Taking the form of either a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, possumhaw grows to heights of 20 to 30 feet (6-9 m.). It sets a heavy load of dark orange or red berries which remain on the branches after the leaves fall. Winterberry Holly (I. verticillata): Winterberry is very similar to possumhaw, but it grows only 8 feet (2 m.) tall. There are several cultivars to choose from, most of which set fruit earlier than the species.