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shrub

Excelsa Japanese Holly

Ilex crenata 'Excelsa'

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Excelsa Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata 'Excelsa') at Hicks Nurseries

Excelsa Japanese Holly

Excelsa Japanese Holly

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  12 feet

Spread:  7 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  5b

Other Names:  Box-leaved Holly

Description:

Valued for its distinctive form and foliage, this variety has dense glossy medium green flat leaves; commonly used for landscaping; protect from winter winds; can be sheared for a formal appearance

Ornamental Features

Excelsa Japanese Holly is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage. The small glossy oval leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Excelsa Japanese Holly is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds and bees to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Excelsa Japanese Holly is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Hedges/Screening
  • General Garden Use
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Excelsa Japanese Holly will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 7 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight Soil pH Preference
Characteristics
Massing  Screening  Garden  Naturalizing 
Applications
Foliage Color  Texture  Plant Form  Winter Value  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features
This Plant Finder tool is an online resource representing many of the varieties that we carry over the course of the season, and is intended for informational purposes only. Inventory varies seasonally, so we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times - please contact the store directly for current availability. It does not include our entire selection of plants, so be sure to visit our store to see varieties that may not be represented on this list.