Ilex crenata Caroline Upright - Japanese Holly

Ilex crenata 'Caroline Upright' is a variety of holly with a naturally upright habit, which can be used in the garden as a miniature boxwood or yew. It is particularly suitable for cloud pruning (Niwaki). This evergreen, non-prickly shrub has small rounded leaves of a beautiful glossy green and can be shaped in various ways, both in the ground and in pots. The female plants produce pretty black berries from September to March. While it is very hardy and grows faster than boxwood, it still requires moist soil that is low in limestone, and a sheltered position away from the scorching sun to thrive. Often used in Japanese gardens, it allows for experimentation with topiary art!

Holly crenata is a shrub native to Japan, belonging to the Aquifoliaceae family. The 'Caroline Upright' variety, with its slow to moderately fast growth and particularly upright habit, reaches an average height of 2 m to 3 m (6.6 ft to 9.8 ft) with a spread of 2 m (6.6 ft). It is also distinguished by its small, tough, dark green, crenate, non-prickly and glossy leaves. All hollies are dioecious plants, meaning there are male and female subjects. Only the female ones bear fruits. The female 'Caroline Upright' holly produces insignificant but nectar-rich small flowers in spring, with a matte white colour, which will form a fruiting of fleshy and round black berries after fertilisation by a male holly planted nearby. Recognising the sex of the flowers requires a trained eye; they all have four white petals and a waxy surface, but male flowers can be identified by their four prominent yellow stamens, while female flowers have a short, oval green pistil. The same shrub can produce both male and atrophied female flowers, which cannot be pollinated. The seeds are dispersed by birds that love the fruits.

With a faster growth rate than boxwood and malleable according to everyone's fancy, Ilex crenata 'Caroline Upright' satisfies gardeners who appreciate well-trimmed hedges and plant sculptures. It is perfect in a hedge, whether monospecific or mixed, alongside Eleagnus, Viburnum tinus, Cotoneaster lacteus, Photinia serratifolia or Mexican orange. It mainly dislikes limestone, which causes its beautiful foliage to turn yellow, and prefers well-drained, fairly fertile soil. Hardy well beyond -15° C (5° F), it thrives in partially shaded to shaded areas, such as under trees or on the edge of woodland, in a large natural garden. When grown as a specimen, trained as a topiary or shaped as a small tree, it attracts attention in winter.

The 'Caroline Upright' cultivar is well-suited for cloud pruning. It can also be used in large containers. Plant it 

Hollies are both beloved plants and misunderstood vegetation. The genus includes nearly 800 deciduous or evergreen species, generally native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. These very ancient plants have experienced the alternation of glacial periods and dry, hot periods in our climatic history, making them extremely adaptable and resistant vegetation. Their wood, ranging from white to cream, is very low in water, even when green. It is dense and heavy, but soft and easy to work with in cabinet-making. It is also an excellent fuel for heating, even when green. Finally, their foliage and (inedible) berries are rich in caffeine. Tea is prepared with their leaves in the Black Forest.