Shrub · North Texas care guide
Ilex × 'HL10-90'
Nursery Pro tip: Narrow and self-fruiting — a tidy column of berries for tight spots by a fence or corner without pruning.
A compact, columnar English-style holly, 8–10 ft tall and only 4–5 wide, with glossy dark leaves and dense red berries at exactly the right time of year for its name. Self-fruiting and slow enough to stay where you put it.
Full sun to part shade with good drainage; afternoon shade is welcome in the hottest beds. Space 3–4 ft for a tight screen.
Fall through spring. Hole twice the pot width, ball at grade, native soil plus compost, Root Stimulator, mulch.
Twice a week the first summer, weekly the second, then a deep soak every week or two in the heat.
Holly fertilizer in early spring; iron if leaves pale.
Very little — it's naturally columnar. Tidy in late winter or after berries drop.
Iron chlorosis in alkaline beds. Scale (dormant oil). Leaf spines are sharp; keep it off walkways.
A pair flanking an entry, a narrow evergreen accent in a courtyard, or a low screen along a patio. Cut a few berried branches for the mantel in December.
Written for Rockwall's black clay, heat and winters by the Landscape Source team. Every yard is different — bring a photo by, or ask LS-Ai, and we'll tailor it to your spot.