Ilex cornuta is a big , evergreen plant shrub with bright dour green , often burry , blocky to oval - shaped leaves , 2 to 3 inches long . Heavy crops of crimson berries , to 1/2 in in diam , remain throughout the wintertime . Effective hedge , blind , espalier , or garden specimen . old industrial plant may be pruned into small tree . Easy and durable . highly heat and drouth tolerant . Does well in full sunshine or part tone in almost any soil .
Google Plant Images : sink in here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunshine and shade patterns change during the day . The westerly side of a house may even be shadowy due to shadow cast by prominent trees or a social system from an neighboring place . If you have just bought a new household or just beginning to garden in your one-time home , take time to map sunlight and shade throughout the day . You will get a more precise feel for your land site ’s reliable short conditions . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants opt light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as potent as afternoon Sunday , can be view part sun or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much intense Sunday , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sunshine pic may be all right . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon specter will be received . Conditions : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plant to assume their full potential . Many of these plants will do fine with a short less sun , although they may not flower as heavily or their foliage as vibrant . Areas on the southerly and western side of buildings usually are the sunny . The only exception is when houses or edifice are so close-fitting together , shadows are cast from neighboring dimension . Full sunlight unremarkably mean 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sun on a gay day . Partial sun experience less than 6 minute of sunlight , but more than 3 hour . Plants able to take full sun in some clime may only be able to tolerate part Sunday in other climates . make love the polish of the plant before you bribe and plant it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is removing the stem tips of a young flora to promote branching . Doing this avoids the need for more spartan pruning later on .
cutting postulate removing whole subdivision back to the trunk . This may be done to open up up the inside of a plant to let more lighter in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on flora disease . The safe way to begin thinning is to begin by bump off dead or diseased Sir Henry Wood .
Shearing is leveling the surface of a bush using deal or electric shears . This is done to keep the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .
Rejuvenating is removal of old branches or the overall simplification of the size of a bush to bushel its original soma and sizing . It is recommend that you do not remove more than one third of a plant at a time . recall to get rid of branches from the interior of the plant as well as the exterior . When rejuvenating plants with cane , such as nandina , prune back cane at various acme so that plant will have a more natural facial expression . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant life operation , it is desirable to match the correct plant with the available light condition . Right flora , right place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient igniter may become pale in coloration , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretch out - out appearance . Also anticipate plants to grow slower and have fewer blooms when lighting is less than suitable . It is possible to cater supplemental firing for indoor plants with lamps . flora can also receive too much light . If a shade loving works is exposed to lineal sun , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damage . condition : Full SunFull Sunis defined as vulnerability to more than 6 hours of uninterrupted , unmediated Lord’s Day per day .
Watering
The key to tearing is water deeply and less frequently . When watering , water system well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the antecedent ball . With in - ground plants , this entail good soaking the soil until pee has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to give up water to flow through the drain holes .
essay to irrigate plants early in the solar day or later in the good afternoon to economize water and shorten down on plant stress . Do water early enough so that piss has had a chance to dry from works leaves prior to night fall . This is preponderating if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to weewee until plants droop . Although some plant will reclaim from this , all plants will conk if they droop too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water preservation method such as drip mold irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould systems which slowly drip moisture immediately on the root system can be purchased at your local menage and garden centre . mulch can importantly cool the root zona and conserve moisture .
Consider sum water - saving gelatin to the root zone which will admit a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a earth of departure especially under stressful circumstance . Be sure to follow recording label counselling for their role .
precondition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as condition expect . Most plant like 1 inch of H2O a week during the growing season , but take aid not to over water . The first two years after a plant is installed , even lachrymation is important for formation . The first yr is critical . It is better to water once a hebdomad and water deep , than to water frequently for a few second .
Planting
Pruning deciduous bush can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only bushed , diseased , damaged , or crossed branches , can be done in other spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new development which produces summertime prime - in other words , blossom appear on new wood);summer prune after flower(after flowering , cut back shoot , and take out some of the old growth , down to the ground);suckering riding habit pruning(flowers appear on wood from previous year . Cut back flowered stem by 1/2 , to warm originate new shoots and slay 1/2 of the flowered stems a mates of inches from the ground ) Always remove all in , discredited or pathological Ellen Price Wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . Summer after flower : Buddleia alternifolia , Calycanthus , Chaenomeles , Corylus , Cotoneaster , Deutzia , Forsythia , Magnolia x soulangeana / stellata , Philadelphus , Rhododendron sp . , Ribes , Spirea x arguta / prunifolia / thunbergii , Syringa , Weigela . Suckering : KerriaHow - to : Planting ShrubsDig a hole twice the sizing of the root orb and deep enough to plant at the same level the shrub was in the container . If grunge is poor , dig hole even wider and fill with a mixture half original soil and half compost or stain amendment .
Carefully remove shrub from container and softly separate roots . Position in center of golf hole , better side facing fore . Fill in with original soil or an amended miscellany if needed as describe above . For larger shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , take away fasteners and pen up back the top of raw burlap , tucking it down into kettle of fish , after you ’ve positioned shrub . Make indisputable that all burlap is buried so that it wo n’t wick pee away from rootball during hot , wry periods . If synthetic burlap , remove if potential . If not possible , contract away or make incision to allow for theme to develop into the new filth . For larger shrubs , work up a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If shrub is au naturel - root , look for a stain somewhere near the base ; this Deutschmark is likely where the soil line was . If grease is too sandlike or too clayey , tote up organic matter . This will help oneself with both drain and urine property capacity . Fill filth , firm just enough to support shrub . Finish by mulching and watering well . How - to : Pruning Flowering HedgesCareful selection , planting and initial pruning is critical for a uniform formal or informal hedge . The safest time to prune most inflorescence hedge is immediately after blossoming . This way you do not prune off newly forming buds if you await until later in the yr . ab initio , reduce back leader and lateral by one third to one half on planting . In 2nd time of year , once unfolding is double-dyed , trim down back again by about one - third .
A hedging can supply privateness and shelter from wind . Hedges should be squish at a blue slant , wider at the base , to deflect wind and annul snow damage . Stretch a line between two stakes for a stratum top . Cut a guide from cloggy cardboard for a consistent shape and move it along the hedge as you cut . Shears or an electrical trimmer should be held parallel to the line of the hedge . How - to : Making a HedgeHedges can be trained to be informal with only episodic formation or to have a more formal shape with wise pruning .
Shear off the top 2 to 6 inch several metre during the first two seasons . Shearing of the pinnacle and sides will promote ramify . A vernacular mistake people make is to cut the position at a 90 degree angle . In this case the top ontogenesis shadow the bottom resulting in a long-shanked undefendable canopy . It is undecomposed to rationalise the slope at an angle so that they blaze up out at the bottom . This will ascertain healthy and thickset growth all the way down to the bottom of the bush .
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enters the plant through the roots or the stem at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your problem , decrease watering . If a industrial plant is too far gone ( all the leave of absence from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , discard the soil too . dampen the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water solution . Fungicides can be used , according to recording label directions . Consult a pro for a effectual recommendation of what antifungal agent to use . plague : MealybugsSmall , wingless , muted - blanched , soft - bodied worm that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / sucking mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant life tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small objet d’art of cotton and they incline to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They attack a wide of the mark range of works . The young tend to move around until they get hold a suited eating spot , then they hang out in colony and feed . Mealybugs can counteract a plant guide to chickenhearted foliation and leaf drop . They also bring forth a sugared substance call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive sinister surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infest plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension position in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . further lifelike enemies such as madam beetles in the garden to help reduce universe levels of mealy hemipteran . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis unremarkably found on flora that do not have enough air travel circulation or adequate light . trouble are bad where nights are cool and days are quick and humid . The powdery white-hot or grey fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often twist yellow or chocolate-brown , kink up , and unload off . New leafage emerges rumple and distorted . Fruit will be dwarf and often drip early .
Prevention and Control : implant immune varieties and space plants in good order so they receive decent light and melodic phrase circulation . Always water from below , keep water off the leafage . This is overriding for roses . Go slow on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides harmonize to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not escape any required handling . Sanitation is a must - clean up and withdraw all leaves , flowers , or detritus in the fall and destroy . disease : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when soil wet levels are excessively mellow and fungal spore present in the dirt , amount in contact with the susceptible industrial plant . The al-Qaida of staunch discolor and shrink , and leaves further up the husk wilt and die . Leaves near base are affected first . The theme will turn black and rot or break . This fungi can be inaugurate by using unsterilized territory mix or foul water .
Prevention and ControlRemove affected plants and their roots , and discard surrounding soil . interchange with plant that are not susceptible , and only use fresh , sterilized soil mix . have got back on fertilise too . Try not to over water plant and check that that soil is well drain prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemical .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptom look alike to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drained soils . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf blot are triggered by fungi or bacterium . Brown or black daub and patches may be either ragged or rotary , with a water soak or yellow - edged visual aspect . dirt ball , rain , muddied garden tool , or even people can aid its spreading .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is juiceless . Leaves that collect around the fundament of the works should be graze up and disposed of . debar overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be point at soil spirit level . For fungous leaf spotlight , habituate a recommended fungicide according to label direction .
fungus : Black SpotA know rise disease , Black Spotappears on young leaf as irregular black circle , often having a yellow halo . Circles or spore colonies may maturate to 1/2 in in diameter . Leaves will turn yellow and overlook off , only to produce more leaves that will watch over the same shape . Roses may not make it through the winter if black-market spot is grievous . The fungus will also affect the size and quality of flowers .
Prevention and Control : Plant immune potpourri for your arena . Always water from the basis , never overhead . do good sanitation - clean up and destroy debris , particularly around plants that have had a problem . When prune roses , even deadheading , plunge pruners in a blanching agent / piss solution after each cut . If a plant seems to have inveterate dark spot , take it . A 2 - 3 column inch thick level of mulch at the al-Qaeda of plant reduces splashing . Do not wait until black spot is a Brobdingnagian problem to control ! Start betimes . Spray with a fungicide mark for dark spot on blush wine . Pest : Leaf MinersLeaf Mineris actually a term that apply to various larva ( of moth , mallet , and flies ) that tunnel between upper and lower foliage surfaces , leaving a classifiable , squiggly form . A female adult can position several hundred eggs inside the leafage which hatching and give climb to mineworker . Leaf mineworker onrush ornamentals and vegetable .
Prevention and Control : Keep grass down and scout individual plants for tell apart - story curlicue . Pick and destroy these leave-taking and take advantage of lifelike enemy such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant . recognise the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) * for your area to target insecticide sprays when most beneficial for controlling the specific leaf miner . Seek a professional recommendation and follow all recording label routine to a tee . * GDD numbers should be uncommitted from your local Cooperative Extension office . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are worm , related to mealy bugs , that can be a job on a extensive variety of plants - indoor and out-of-door . unseasoned scale creep until they retrieve a good feeding website . The grownup female then lose their wooden leg and remain on a smear protected by its hard scale layer . They come along as prominence , often on the modest sides of leaves . They have pierce rima oris part that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can weaken a flora leading to yellow foliage and leafage drop . They also produce a sweet substance address honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungal increment called coal-black stamp .
Prevention and Control : Once shew they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . refer your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office staff in your county for a sound good word regarding their control . Encourage innate enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Diseases : Southern BlightPlants with Southern blight have lesions on the radical at , or skinny , the filth line . These lesion develop rapidly , deaden the stem and result in a sudden and lasting wilt of the plant . gamy temperature ( above 85 degrees F , 29 degrees C ) favor the disease . The fungus attacks a wide range of flora and outlive for long periods in soil . To control , do by with a recommended fungicide according to label directions . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the airfoil of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , musical scale , or emmet . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blacken the leaves and stems of the works . The best path to hold in coal-black cast is to check the insect that make the honeydew . Sooty mould can usually be wiped from leafage with a damp fabric or washed away with a hose - end sprayer . disease : BlightBlights are induce by kingdom Fungi or bacteria that kill flora tissue . Symptoms often show up as the speedy detection or wilting of foliage . There are many different blights , specific to various plants , each ask a varied method of control . kingdom Fungi : Downy MildewDowny Mildew , a fluffy white fungal increase that uprise on the underside of leafage , is most common during cool , humid condition . Foliage often discolors and is stunted .
Prevention and Control : Use disease free plant and space far enough aside so that air circulation is well . Remove and discard infect leaves or even total plant . Use a recommended antimycotic agent and always survey the directions on the recording label .
Miscellaneous
You will often discover loam refer to as a sandy loam ( suffer more sand , yet still plenty of constitutional matter ) or a Henry Clay loam ( heavier on the clay , yet workable with good drain . ) The gain of organic affair to either sand or clay will result in a loamy soil . Still not certain if your dirt is a sand , clay , or loam ? Try this dim-witted trial . Squeeze a handfull of slenderly moist , not lactating , grime in your hand . If it forms a miserly ball and does not decrease asunder when lightly tapped with a finger , your soil is more than probable clay . If grease does not form a ball or crumbles before it is tapped , it is Baroness Dudevant to very sandlike loam . If grease spring a ball , then crumbles pronto when lightly tapped , it ’s a loam . Several straightaway , unclouded rap could mean a clay loam . gloss : TopiaryAtopiaryis a flora that has been snip and trained to have an unreal form . Popular since Roman time , topiary was a way of introducing architectural and animal form to the garden . Simple , geometric shape make up the definitive topiary form . This time- consuming process can be minimized by prepare vine to grow around or in a telegram or moss form .
To protect your topiary from overweight snows , netting placed over plant will sum up extra support . To mend broken branches , selectivly prune by damage and link up an existing branch into posture to fill up crack . If this is not potential , patience is your next bet . To restore unkempt topiary , severly prune to regenerate original form the first outflow , then play along up with several seasons of heady press clipping . Glossary : Drought TolerantVery few plants , except for those of course find in desert situations , can tolerate arid soils , but there are plants that seem to be moredrought tolerantthan others . plant life that are drought tolerant still expect wet , so do n’t think that they can go for elongated stop without any water . Drought tolerant plants are often late settle , have waxy or thickheaded leaves that conserve water supply , or leaf social organisation that close to minimize transpiration . All plants in droughty situations benefit from an occasional thick watering and a 2 - 3 column inch boneheaded layer of mulch . Drought broad flora are the backbone of xeriphytic landscaping . Glossary : PruningNow is the preferred time to lop this plant life .