Ilex x meserveae 'HECKENPRACHT' blue holly, Meserve holly - male
size/type
medium-sized shrub,medium-sized shrub
usual height
1,5-2,5m
usual width
0,5-1,5m
leaves
evergreen broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
insignificant or non-blooming
location
full sun to shade
USDA zone (lowest)
5 (down to -29°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Description of the plant:
Germany has another novelty among blue hollies. Its name is Heckenpracht and it is a cross between ilex aquifolium Pyramidalis and ilex x meserveae Blue Prince®. Heckenpracht is a bushy shrub with upright branches and evergreen, medium large, glossy leaves that are dark green and serrated at margins but not sharp. As a male variety it is an ideal pollinator for combination with female hollies to produce berries in autumn.
Meserveae hollies are called “blue hollies” thanks to the shade of the species leaves that are dark green with bluish tint. And the name meserveae was chosen for its cultivator, Kathleen Meserve, who, literally on her windowsill, made a cross of ilex rugosa and ilex aquifolium in 1950´s to achieve excellent cold hardiness on a fabulously foliaged evergreen plant. She died in 1999 at the age of 93 but left behind an impressive line of these evergreen superbly hardy varieties.
Blue hollies need almost no maintenance if you provide them with slightly acidic soil at the beginning and enough moisture for the first couple of years to enable establishing extensive root system. Pruning is not needed as it forms a compact shrub on its own but you can shape it in early spring or in midsummer. Blue hollies are also renowned for their hardiness: this one has not yet been tested to the very lowest point but is expected to survive -27°C or even -29°C (USDA zone 5).
Last update 07-06-2011.
SIZES and PRICES
shrub
height 60-80 cm
465 Kč
height 40-60 cm, width 15-20 cm
389 Kč
height 100-125 cm
1 440 Kč
WANT TO TRY A SIMILAR PLANT?
Goods are shipped all over Europe. For Russia and U.K. and for further details please read about SHIPPING OPTIONS HERE.
Are you interested in a serious discount for orders NOV-FEB? Check your options here.
THE PRICES INCLUDE VAT of 15%. For quick conversion you can use 1 CZK = approx. 0.04 EUR
GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
