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Ilex meserveae Heckenblau

Ilex meserveae 'Hach1' Heckenblau®
Blue Holly, Meserve Holly, 'Hach1'

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More information

This recent male cultivar does not bear fruit but is essential for pollinating the female varieties, which will bear red fruit around November. This evergreen shrub has remarkable foliage whose colour changes with the seasons, turning to an aubergine colour from autumn to early spring. Fast-growing, it forms an upright, relatively narrow bush reaching 2 to 3 m height. Its white flowers bloom in April and May. This holly is decorative all year round and can be used as an isolated plant in a bed, pot, or free-standing hedge. It is also ideal for topiary.

Flower size

1 cm

Height at maturity

4 m

Spread at maturity

3 m

Exposure

Sun, Partial shade

Hardiness

Hardy down to -23°C

Soil moisture

Moist soil

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Best planting time March, October

Recommended planting time February to May, September to November

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Flowering time April to May

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FEB F

MAR M

APR A

MAY M

JUN J

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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.

Plant habit

Height at maturity 4 m

Spread at maturity 3 m

Habit upright, columnar

Growth rate fast

Flowering

Flower colour white

Flowering time April to May

Inflorescence Cyme

Flower size 1 cm

Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen

Foliage colour green

Botanical data

Genus

Ilex

Species

meserveae

Cultivar

'Hach1' Heckenblau®

Family

Aquifoliaceae

Other common names

Blue Holly, Meserve Holly, 'Hach1'

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference • 22382

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

Best planting time March, October

Recommended planting time February to May, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge

Type of use Border, Free-standing, Container, Hedge

Hardiness Hardy down to -23°C (USDA zone 6a) Show map

Ease of cultivation Beginner

Planting density 1 per m2

Exposure Sun, Partial shade

Soil pH Acidic, Neutral

Soil type Clayey (heavy), Silty-loamy (rich and light)

Soil moisture Moist soil, deep, loose, humus-bearing, remaining fresh in summer

Care

Pruning instructions The pruning is not essential, but this holly supports it very well. Remove the excessively long stems in order to maintain its compact and dense habit. Intervene at the end of winter or the beginning of spring. Wear gloves, as its leaves are slightly thorny.

Pruning Pruning recommended once a year

Pruning time March to April

Soil moisture Moist soil

Disease resistance Good

Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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