Ilex meserveae Heckenblau
Ilex meserveae Heckenblau
Ilex meserveae 'Hach1' Heckenblau®
Blue Holly, Meserve Holly, 'Hach1'
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This plant carries a 24 months recovery warranty
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Description
The ilex meserveae 'Heckenblau' is a recent American Holly variety that stands out for its rapid growth and the beauty of its ever-changing foliage. Its young shoots are reddish-purple. Its leaves turn bluish-green in summer before colouring aubergine from October to April. This evergreen bush with an upright habit is decorative all year round. It will find its place in all gardens, as a standalone plant, in a hedge, at the back of a border, or even in a pot. This male cultivar does not bear fruit. Its small white flowers in spring can pollinate many female varieties, producing numerous red berries in winter.
From the Aquifoliaceae family, Ilex (x) meserveae is a horticultural hybrid obtained in 1964 by Kathleen Meserve in the United States through the cross-breeding of Ilex aquifolium, the common holly and its prostrate cousin Ilex rugosa. The 'Heckenblau variety has an upright and narrow bushy habit, reaching a height of 2 to 3 m and a width of 1 to 1.5 m at maturity. In April-May, it is covered with small white to pinkish-white flowers, grouped in clusters, in the leaves' axils and at the branches' tips. Its flowers will not produce fruit: it is a male cultivar. The abundance and quality of its pollen make it an excellent pollinator for female varieties such as 'Heckenfee', 'Blue Angel' or 'Blue Princess'. Its leaves are leathery, toothed, and spiny but not very prickly. This glossy foliage is highly decorative even in winter when it takes on aubergine tones. Its colour evolves throughout the seasons.
This American holly is a low-maintenance and particularly hardy plant. Whether shaped into a topiary or not, its colourful foliage will attract all eyes. With its rapid growth, it is perfect in a mixed hedge, combined with other evergreen shrubs such as the female holly 'Heckenfee', which will bear the famous red berries in winter, the 'Spirit' laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) with pinkish-white flowers from November to March, the 'Limelight' elaeagnus that brings light, or the 'Pink Marble' photinia with pink-tinted leaves.
Ilex meserveae Heckenblau in pictures
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Planting and care
Ilex x meserveaea 'Heckenblau' thrives in sun or semi-shade, sheltered from cold winds. Plant it in humus-rich soil with an acidic to neutral pH, keeping it cool even in summer. It does not like chalky soil. It then tends to chlorose: its leaves gradually turn yellow around the veins. Don't hesitate to add potting soil and compost when planting. Keep up the watering for the first three years, especially in summer if there is a prolonged drought, to help the shrub get established. If necessary, pruning should occur between late winter and early spring. In particular, cut back any too long stems to encourage branching and maintain a dense, compact growth habit. Holly leafminers, white-scale insects in spring, mites, and aphids in summer can attack Holly. If necessary, apply a preventive treatment at the start of the season.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.
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