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About this product
Ilex crenata 'Dark Green' Cone
Ilex crenata 'Dark Green'
10L pot • Cone form • Supplied approximately 120cm tall
Plant Highlights: Elegant cone-shaped topiary • Small glossy evergreen foliage • Excellent alternative to box • Year-round architectural interest • Easy to maintain
Overview
Ilex crenata 'Dark Green' is a dense, evergreen shrub with small, glossy deep green leaves, expertly trained into a classic cone topiary. Its naturally compact branching and fine-textured foliage create crisp, formal lines, making it a superb architectural feature for entrances, patios and structured garden designs throughout the year.
Often chosen as an alternative to traditional box, this Japanese holly responds well to clipping and retains its neat appearance with minimal maintenance. The cone form brings instant height and structure to both contemporary and traditional gardens.
Why We Love It
- Professionally trained cone shape provides instant structure.
- Fine evergreen foliage offers year-round interest.
- Naturally dense growth is easy to maintain.
- An excellent alternative to traditional box topiary.
- Perfect for containers, entrances and formal planting schemes.
Plant Details
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Ilex crenata 'Dark Green' |
| Common Name | Japanese Holly Cone |
| Plant Type | Evergreen shrub trained as cone topiary |
| Foliage | Small, glossy deep green evergreen leaves |
| Flower | Small white flowers on mature plants, followed occasionally by black berries on female plants if a compatible male pollinator is nearby |
| Flowering Period | Late spring |
| Growth Habit | Dense, clipped cone-shaped topiary |
| Position | Full sun or partial shade |
| Soil | Fertile, moist but well-drained soil; prefers neutral to slightly acidic conditions |
| Mature Height | Overall height is largely determined by the trained form and maintained through regular clipping |
| Mature Spread | Approximately 40–70cm, depending on pruning |
| Hardiness | Hardy in Irish gardens. Best grown in well-drained soil and protected from prolonged waterlogging. |
| Growth Rate | Slow-growing |
Growing Guide
Position
Plant in full sun or partial shade. It performs well in sheltered or moderately exposed positions and is suitable for borders, courtyards and decorative containers.
Watering
Water regularly during the first growing season to establish a healthy root system. Once established, water during prolonged dry periods, particularly for container-grown specimens.
Soil
Grow in fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Incorporate organic matter before planting to improve soil structure and drainage where necessary.
Hardiness and Winter Care
This evergreen shrub is hardy throughout Ireland. Apply a mulch around the base after planting to help conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds, taking care not to cover the stem.
Routine Care
Trim once or twice during the growing season to maintain the crisp cone shape. Remove any shoots developing from the base or outside the outline to preserve the trained form.
Perfect For
- Formal gardens.
- Entranceways and doorways.
- Patio pots and statement containers.
- Courtyard gardens.
- Architectural and contemporary planting schemes.
Good to Know
The supplied height of approximately 120cm refers to the plant at the time of sale and not its eventual mature size. Regular light clipping will maintain the elegant cone shape and encourage dense, healthy growth.
Product Information
- Botanical name: Ilex crenata 'Dark Green'
- Trained as a cone topiary.
- Supplied in a 10L nursery pot.
- Supplied approximately 120cm tall.
Growing & care
- Plant type
- shrub
- Position & light
- Full sun· Partial shade· Sheltered
- Watering
- moderate
- Soil & drainage
- Acidic· Well drained· Moist
- Mature size
- 70cm wide
- Flowering
- Late spring· White
- Foliage
- evergreen
Useful to know
Good for containersPollinator friendly
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