Ilex meserveae Magical Amoro Rosso

The Ilex x merseveae' Magical Amoro Rosso' is a female selection of the American Holly, known for its abundant bright red fruiting from October to December. Slow-growing, the bush forms an upright and narrow habit particularly well-suited for small gardens. Evergreen and thorny, its foliage is a beautiful dark green and glossy. It blooms white in spring. The presence of a male plant is essential for pollination. Hardy and undemanding, the Meserve Holly prefers humus-bearing, neutral to slightly acidic soils. It will thrive in a mixed hedge, in a border, as a standalone plant, and even in a pot.

From the Aquifoliaceae family, the Ilex x meserveae is a horticultural hybrid obtained in 1964 by Kathleen Meserve in the United States through the cross-breeding of the Ilex aquifolium, the common holly and its prostrate cousin, the Ilex rugosa. The 'Magical Amoro Rosso' variety only produces female flowers. Therefore, it needs a male plant to bear fruit, such as 'Blue Prince' or 'Heckenstar'. The branches are adorned with green berries and turn dark red as Christmas approaches. The shrub has a narrow pyramidal habit and can reach between 2 and 3 m in height and 1 to 1.5 m in width. Its dark green and glossy leaves are tough, toothed, and spiny. They remain on the plant all year round. 

This American holly is an undemanding plant and particularly hardy. Whether shaped into a topiary or not, it will attract all eyes when planted as a standalone. Due to its slow growth, it can also be grown in a large container. It is also perfect in a mixed hedge, combined with other evergreen shrubs such as the male holly 'Heckenblau', which is essential for its pollination, the 'Spirit' laurel-tin (Viburnum tinus) with its white-pink flowers from November to March, the 'Limelight' Elaeagnus ebbingei that brings light, or the 'Pink Marble' Photinia fraseri with its pink-tinted leaves.