Holly bush pairing

[jeve]

I loved the new variegated leaves on this Honey Maid Holly ; but in all my searching I have not found a male match. I even tried contacting the Hines horticulture co. and they would not respond. Will any other male holly work for pollinating ? Has anyone used these holly bushes, and or know of a match? ANY information would be helpful. Also, we have fairly clay-y soil, and it sometimes can get wet in our yard in Boston, will the holly fair well? Thanks, new to holly but excited for the hedge it will become!!

[Newt]

Hi Jeve,

I can see why you like this holly so much.* I wasn't familiar with this particular holly, so I did a search using the botanical name - Ilex 'Honey Maid'.* From what I'm finding it's grown for it's leaves, not the berries, even though this one is a female and does bear berries.* It's a sport of Ilex meserve 'Blue Maid'.* The meserve hollies are hybrids.* From what I can find, Ilex meserve 'Blue Prince' is the mate for Ilex 'Blue Maid'.

The trick is to have another holly that blooms at the same time so they can cross pollinate.* So I then searched with the term:
Ilex meserve 'Honey Maid' + pollinate
and found that Ilex meserve 'Blue Prince' will pollinate.
Scroll down here to Ilex meserve 'Honey Maid'.
http://www.vanbelle.com/what_plants_broadleaves.htm

Hope that helps.
Newt

[jeve]

Thank you for your response, that should be exactly the answer I needed. This is the BEST gardening web-site. I do not know who you are or if this is your job, and how you get paid, but I appreciate your help a million times over. THanks!!!

[Newt]

Jeve, you are so very kind and I appreciate your compliments.* :D* I actually volunteer to do this and don't own the site, but the owner has been most generou to me, so that makes it all the more rewarding to do.* I just have a passion for the environment and gardens.* Well, animal rescue too.

If you will be planting these, be sure to add lots of compost to the entire planting bed, mix it in well and plant high, mounding the soil a bit so the holly doesn't get 'wet feet'.* They get a root rot from wet feet, so you'll need good drainage.

Wishing you all colors of holly berries!
Newt

[jeve]

Thanks, of the 6 I planted, one has turned totally brown. The first three are doing great, and of the newer plants, one looks great, the last looks a bit off color, like it may dry up like the other one. The one that died, and the one that is not doing well, are closer to the bottom of a small slope, so perhaps there is too much water.

I am composting all my organic garden matter, so should have a great batch ready to kick off spring. Thanks for all the help. J

[Newt]

Jeve, see if this helps to diagnose what it going on.
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1087/ANR-1087.pdf

Newt