Ilex crenata has become a popular hedge plant after boxwood is often attacked by diseases. The robust Japanese holly, on the other hand, is resistant to most diseases. If you want to propagate the plant, cuttings are the best option.
How to propagate Ilex Crenata with cuttings?
To propagate Ilex Crenata with cuttings, cut 7-15 cm long shoots in July or August, remove the lower leaves and put them in seed pots with a sand-peat mixture. Keep the substrate moist and place the pots in a place protected from the wind with temperatures around 16 degrees.
Methods of propagation of Ilex crenata
There are three methods available for propagating Ilex crenata:
- Cut cuttings
- Lower shoots
- Sowing
Propagation via cuttings is most often carried out. Root formation takes some time, but you will get plants that you can move to the desired location more quickly.
Propagate Ilex crenata via cuttings
Cuttings are cut in July or August, as that is when the bush is at its best in the sap. Cut shoots 7 to 15 cm long. Remove the bottom leaves.
Prepare cultivation pots (€8.00 on Amazon) that you fill with a sand-peat mixture. Insert the cuttings and water the substrate.
Keep the growing pots moist but not too wet. Place it in a place where it is protected from the wind and temperatures are around 16 degrees.
Propagation of Japanese holly by planting plants
Ilex crenata in the open field can be propagated very well using planters. To do this, bend a shoot onto the ground. Score it carefully. Cover it with soil so that the shoot tip still sticks out of the ground. If necessary, weigh down the lowering bar with a stone or tent peg.
If new leaves form at the top of the shoot, separate the young plant and plant it in the desired location.
Sowing Ilex crenata
The berries that the female bushes of the Japanese holly develop in autumn can also be used for propagation. To do this, simply stick the berries in the ground at the desired location. However, it takes more than a year for germination.
Alternatively, you can remove the seeds and store them in the refrigerator for several weeks before sowing them in prepared pots.
Caution: The berries are poisonous and must not be left in the hands of children.
Tip
Ilex is hardy. Ilex crenata, the Japanese species, however, needs good winter protection, especially in the first few years. You should always overwinter the Ilex grown in a bucket frost-free.
