Ilex aquifolium 'JC Van Tol' 12Ltr pot

Ilex aquifolium 'J.C. van Tol' – Holly 'J.C. van Tol' – 12 Litre Pot

If you love the look of traditional holly but not the prickles, 'J.C. van Tol' is the perfect choice. Its glossy, dark green leaves are almost spineless, carried on attractive dark purple young shoots, making it far friendlier to live with and a great option for family gardens. Best of all, it is self-fertile, so there's no need for a male partner: small white flowers in late spring are followed by an abundant crop of bright red berries that last through autumn and winter.

Holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, it forms a broadly upright, bushy shape and is wonderfully versatile, working beautifully as a specimen tree, a dense evergreen hedge or screen, or even in a large patio container. Fully hardy (RHS H6), it grows in chalk, clay, loam or sand of any pH, in moist but well-drained or free-draining soil, and copes with both exposed and sheltered positions in sun or partial shade. Its spring flowers are valued by pollinators and the berries feed birds through the colder months; they are ornamental only and should not be eaten by people or pets.

Plant from autumn to spring and water well through the first year. Free-standing specimens need little pruning, while hedges can be trimmed in early spring. Growth is slow and steady, eventually reaching 4–8m in height with a spread of 2.5–4m if left unclipped.

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch.