Tips to Get The Most Holly Berries

It’s winter and for anyone who has holly shrubs, that means the bright red berries that stand out in an otherwise dull and colorless landscape. Not many, or zero red berries on your holly shrubs? Or maybe you’re looking to buy hollies to add to your yard, how do you know if you will get berries?

There are male and female holly shrubs. Female holly shrubs are the ones that produce the red holly berries in winter. You generally need one male

holly planted in the vicinity of 3 to 4 female holly shrubs to ensure they all produce berries.

Many times, a holly shrub is not identified as a male or female.  In some cases, the plant names are a giveaway for their gender. Blue Prince (male/pollinator), Blue Princess (female/berries).  China Boy (male/pollinator), China Girl (female/berries). Remember, one male can pollinate 3, up to 4 female holly shrubs. Keep in mind that the male holly shrubs will not have the red berries.

As with almost everything in the botanical world, it is not all that simple. One exception is the Nellie Stevens Holly.  A popular privacy shrub, the Nellie Stevens is a female shrub but can bear some fruit without a male to help pollinate her flowers. In horticultural terms, this is referred to as parthenocarpic.  There is a male version, the Edward Stevens Holly but it is rarely available commercially.

Other than the Nellie Stevens, make sure you are buying both males and females. Stick with similar varieties of holly plant, male and female are not always labeled.  Even better, call the nursery to place your order. Get their input on which holly varieties you need.