Ilex crenata Stokes - a low-maintenance boxwood substitute for small hedges
Ilex crenata belongs to the holly genus. The Japan holly Stokes is a particularly small-growing form of this species. The dwarf shrub is particularly suitable for planting in areas and hedges, but can also be extremely decorative as a foliage plant or small specimen plant.
Robust and resistant box hedge against diseases and pests
Japanese holly is an evergreen shrub that is very similar in appearance to the familiar but fragile boxwood. However, unlike the boxwood, Ilex crenata is robust, easy to care for and resistant to pests and diseases. If you want a planting similar to boxwood for your garden, you should buy Japanese holly. The Stokes variety is a particularly small-growing and slow-growing form of the easy-to-care-for Ilex crenata.
Japanese holly is ideal as a hedge or border
The Japanese holly does not grow more than 10m per year. The Stokes variety only reaches a maximum height of 75cm. This makes this Japanese holly ideally suited for use as a hedge or dense area planting. For a hedge you should buy about 7 Ilex crenata per metre. For an area of 1 square metre, about 12 plants are sufficient. Due to its small size, the Ilex crenata Stokes can also be used wonderfully as a bed border, grave planting or edging for paths and terraces. The small Japanese holly also looks great as a small solitary in rose beds or beds with low perennials and as a foliage plant if you give the plant an attractive appearance with an appropriate topiary.
A pruning-friendly boxwood substitute
If you are planting Japanese holly as a hedge, you should prune the hedge twice during the growth period from May to the end of September. This promotes dense growth and the Japanese holly hedge retains its shape. Pruning should preferably be done on cloudy days to prevent the freshly cut leaves from burning. The light green leaves of Ilex crenata Stokes are glistening oval and strongly resemble boxwood foliage. Ilex crenata is therefore ideal as a boxwood substitute. From May to June, the Japanese holly produces small, white and very inconspicuous flowers.
Ilex fits into any garden
You can plant Japanese holly almost anywhere as a hedge, specimen plant or planter. The plants thrive best in well-drained garden soil and are equally at home in sunny and semi-shady locations as in the shade. Unlike boxwood, the Japanese holly Stokes is absolutely robust, easy to care for and resistant to diseases and pests. It is therefore also ideal for garden beginners. The evergreen dwarf shrub fits particularly well into cottage and rose gardens, but also into Mediterranean and French gardens. When choosing planting partners, larger perennials such as dogwoods should be used or Windröschen can be chosen if the Ilex crenata serves as a bed border.
Buy Ilex crenata Green Hedge
For one square metre you will need about 12 plants, for a running metre of hedge we recommend buying about 7 plants.
The plants are grown in pots, so you can use the Ilex crenata Stokes all year round.
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