Holly

How to grow Holly

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in autumn or spring and be patient — holly is slow to settle and often sulks for a year, dropping leaves before it starts away. It makes an excellent dense hedge and takes shade better than almost any other evergreen.

Pruning

Trim hedges in late summer. Specimen plants need nothing beyond removing crossing or damaged growth. It responds well to hard cutting back if a plant has outgrown its space, though recovery takes a few seasons.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, though they are slow to root. Seed needs a long period of cold and can take two years or more to germinate.

Pests and diseases

Holly leaf miner leaves pale blotches in the leaves; it is disfiguring rather than damaging and is not worth treating. Leaf loss after transplanting is normal.

Value to wildlife

One of the better native shrubs for wildlife: nectar in spring, berries that see thrushes and blackbirds through midwinter, and dense evergreen cover for nesting.

Notes

Holly is dioecious — only female plants carry berries, and they need a male within range. Cultivar names are unreliable guides to sex, so buy plants in berry or check the label carefully. Check its toxicity before planting where children or pets have access.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Ilex aquifolium but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Ilex