Holly is ideal for planting a hedge or privacy screen. You can use the European holly (lat. Ilex aquifolium) or the Japanese holly (lat. Ilex crenata). However, both species are poisonous.
Why is a holly hedge suitable as a privacy screen?
A holly hedge is ideal as a privacy screen because it grows slowly, tolerates pruning well and has attractive berries. The Japanese holly has smaller, unspined leaves. Attention: Both species are poisonous!
What makes Japanese holly suitable for hedge planting?
In contrast to the European holly, the leaves of the Japanese holly are much smaller and do not have spines. It actually resembles the box tree more than its European relatives, but grows beautifully compact and just as slowly as the native Ilex.
Since the boxwood currently often suffers from a special pest, the boxwood borer, the Japanese holly is often planted in its place. Incidentally, it is also suitable as a bonsai, but is not as frost-tolerant as the European holly.
How do I care for a holly hedge?
Because of their slow growth, a holly hedge only needs to be trimmed once a year. The best time for this, unlike many other plants, is summer. Just trim the hedge carefully, it will take a long time for it to grow back.
If the location is relatively dry, water your hedge so that the soil does not dry out. The holly tolerates rainwater best because it is free of lime. If this is not available, then let your tap water sit for a while. You should fertilize the Ilex sparingly and especially if it grows in poor soil.
The most important things in brief:
- Holly suitable for hedge planting
- slow growing
- easy to cut
- poisonous
- Japanese holly less hardy
- Japanese holly has smaller unspined leaves
Tip
If you plant your holly hedge on the property line, then it shouldn't necessarily be on the way to school for small children, because the tempting berries are very poisonous to people.