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Ilex x meserveae Gentle - Blue Holly

Ilex x meserveae Gentle 'Annys Dwarf'
Blue Holly, Meserve Holly

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More information

An adorable little shrub of less than a metre in height, with a lovely rounded and compact habit.  Abundant springtime flowers in shades of pink, but no berries. Its beautiful evergreen dentate foliage, with dark green glossy leaves, turns purple between November and March. This hardy shrub dislikes limestone in the soil. Ideal for a small garden or even in a pot on the terrace!
Flower size
5 mm
Height at maturity
70 cm
Spread at maturity
50 cm
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -29°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time March, October to November
Recommended planting time February to May, September to November
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Flowering time May to June
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Description

Ilex x merseveae Gentle (Annys Dwarf) is a compact cultivar of the Meserve holly, well suited for small spaces and container gardening. This small shrub has a naturally rounded habit and decorative evergreen glossy dark green foliage that turns purple with metallic reflections in the cold of winter.  In this male variety, the spring flowering is particularly abundant, adding to its charm. Meserve holly is well suited for pruning, allowing gardeners to shape it into a regular ball or a majestic cone, but it also thrives when left to grow freely in a shrub bed.

Meserve holly, scientifically known as Ilex x meserveae, is a horticultural hybrid obtained in the United States in 1964. It is a cross between the common holly (Ilex aquifolium) found in our forests and the Japanese holly (Ilex rugosa) with its almost prostrate habit and rough-textured leaves. This plant is perfectly hardy, but generally dislikes the presence of limestone in the soil. All these shrubs belong to the Aquifoliaceae family.

The 'Gentle' variety, also known as Annys Dwarf, is a recent male horticultural variety that does not produce fruits. This slow-growing shrub has a naturally rounded, dense, and regular form.  At maturity, it reaches about 70 cm (27.6 in) in height with a spread of 50 cm (19.7 in). It is also characterised by its relatively small leaves and abundant flowers. The leaves are leathery, ovate, finely toothed, and beautifully glossy.  They are light green when they emerge and then turn very dark green and finally become tinted with purple. All hollies are dioecious plants, meaning there are separate male and female plants. Only the female plants bear fruit, which are highly valued for their ornamental value. 'Gentle' Holly produces numerous small nectar-rich flowers in May, with white-pinkish colour, emerging from almost red buds. They have 4 prominent stamens with yellow anthers. 

The 'Gentle' Holly is a centrepiece of the garden or terrace during winter, even in small spaces. It can be a great substitute for boxwood in low hedges, provided the soil is not limestone-rich. It can be planted in large borders or mixed with similarly sized shrubs to create the permanent structure of the garden: Mexican Orange Blossom, Nandina domestica, Tarentum Myrtle, Compact Pieris, and Sarcococca, for example, can accompany it in an attractive bed all year round. Extremely hardy, even beyond -15 °C, it prefers partially shaded to sunny locations, such as woodland edges or an east-facing position. When planted alone, it becomes a focal point during the winter and can be admired from a window, in the warm.  

Hollies are both loved and misunderstood plants. The genus comprises nearly 800 deciduous or evergreen species, mostly native to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. These ancient plants have experienced alternating glacial periods and dry, hot periods in our climatic history, making them extremely adaptable and resilient. Their wood, which is white to cream, has a very low water content, even when green. It is dense and heavy, but soft and easy to work with in carpentry. It is also an excellent fuel for heating, even when green. Finally, their foliage and berries (inedible) are rich in caffeine. Tea is prepared with their leaves in the Black Forest.

Plant habit

Height at maturity 70 cm
Spread at maturity 50 cm
Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate slow

Flowering

Flower colour pink
Flowering time May to June
Inflorescence Panicle
Flower size 5 mm
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour dark green

Botanical data

Genus

Ilex

Species

x meserveae

Cultivar

Gentle 'Annys Dwarf'

Family

Aquifoliaceae

Other common names

Blue Holly, Meserve Holly

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference171931

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Planting and care

To plant the Annys Dwarf Meserve holly, add some compost to the soil and incorporate it into your garden soil to slightly acidify it while enriching it. If your soil is rich in limestone, the holly will tend to suffer from chlorosis (the foliage gradually turns yellow around the leaf veins) and eventually wither. Choose a sunny or semi-shaded location. Follow the watering schedule for the first 3 years with non-calcareous water, especially during prolonged droughts to help the shrub to establish itself. It will then require little attention. This holly prefers cool and not too dry climates. Prune lightly in late winter or early spring to maintain a balanced habit. The ilex may be attacked by holly leaf miners, white scale insects in spring, and mites and aphids in summer. Consider applying a preventive treatment at the beginning of the season.

Planting period

Best planting time March, October to November
Recommended planting time February to May, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge
Type of use Edge of border, Container
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
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, fairly rich in humus

Care

Pruning instructions Lightly prune in late winter or early spring to rebalance the shape.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time March
Soil moisture Moist soil
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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