The Many Health Benefits of Gardening!

Fine-textured and easy-to-grow Ash trees (Fraxinus) were one of the most popular street and landscaping trees in the US for many years! With airy greenish blooms and winged seed pods, their pointed foliage cast shade over many a garden until recently.  Fraxinus americana, also known as the White Ash/American Ash tree, is a species of native deciduous tree to Eastern and Central North America. They readily colonize riparian zones, and stabilize stream banks, and provide shade and nesting sites for wildlife. So why is it that Ash Trees became so popular to plant anyway? And why would you want to replace yours with something else? The Small Green Problem With Ash Trees What to Plant Instead of Ash Trees Bring on the Biodiversity! Green, Black, and White Ash are native to a large portion of the US and Canada. Many nurseries have some incredible selections from the native species that are seedless, have great fall color, and have beautiful upright and rounded forms! Municipalities, homeowners, and landscape architects began noticing the beautiful seedless selections that were coming on the market. They began being used on almost all the projects not only because of their varied forms and fall color, but because of their adaptability to different soil types, and hardiness. If you have ever seen an Autumn Blaze Ash in full fall display, you know just how unbelievably and intensely gorgeous they can be! The Small Green Problem With Ash Trees So why would anyone want to replace or find an alternative to the amazing Ash Tree? Too much of a good thing maybe? You would think we would have learned from our past mistakes by lining so many streets and urban plantings of American Elm only to see the demise of such a stately tree from Dutch Elm Disease that has wiped out so many trees. Thus, plant hybridizers and nurseries have developed so many different new Elm selections that are Dutch Elm Disease resistant and we are now able to grow many different cultivars once again.  The same thing has now happened with the way we were using (or we should say overusing) Ash trees in our landscapes. Because of its widespread distribution, the Ash Tree has now also begun to face its own struggles - the Emerald Ash Borer. Who would have guessed that we would import a bug that bores into the trunks of all the different kinds of Ash trees and eventually kills them? What no one really expected is that borers typically only affect trees that are stressed or not healthy, but the difference with this bug is that it wildly attacks every single healthy Ash in its path. At first, the movement was slow, but eventually, we figured out the movement of infected Ash tree firewood was being transported to many campgrounds, cabins, summer homes, and heavily wooded areas. Areas that contained native Ash trees! Many years later, we have yet to introduce a resistant Ash Tree to the market. The bug continues to spread slowly and in all directions taking out all Ash in its path. So to help stop the spread of the Borers and still enjoy your landscape, try one of these amazing alternatives! What to Plant Instead of Ash Trees If you live in an area where the Emerald Ash Tree Borer is prevalent, you will no doubt be looking for an alternative! Those areas now include most of the East Coast, New England, and as far West as Texas to Nebraska, affecting 30 states and killing tens of millions of native and non-native Ash trees in their wake. Check out these alternatives that also have great shade, fast growth, and incredible blooms! 1. Birch Trees The fine-textured foliage of the Birch Tree and its many cultivars also have gorgeous bark and fall color that creates a picturesque look to your landscape. Try a native River Birch or Paper Birch, or have some fun by planting a variegated Shiloh Splash River Birch or Royal Frost® Birch that is sure to have the neighbors green with envy! All Birch will perform best where the roots are not baked by the sun, but shaded by a north-facing site, where the roots are in the shade of another tree or house, or covered in a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch that is spread out past the dripline.  Unique Colored & Peeling Bark Fine-Textured Foliage Great Fall Color Wildlife & Bird-Friendly Cold-Hardy USDA Zones 2 Through 9 2. Linden Trees (Basswood) The lovely heart-shaped leaves and light green, winged seed pods of the Linden Tree create such a lovely display! Very pollinator-friendly, these trees have strong pyramidal-shaped canopies at maturity. Try a native American Linden Tree, or the smaller Littleleaf Linden to adorn your yard and enjoy the sweet-smelling flowers! Magnificent Pyramidal Canopy Tight, Upright Pyramidal Growth Winged Light Green Flowers/Seed Pods Heart-Shaped Leaves Cold, Heat & Urban Environment Tolerant 3. Sweetgum Tree The Sweetgum (Liquidambar) is a unique and underutilized native tree that features spring flower clusters that become persistent spiky seed balls that birds love! But standing back one will notice that the narrow Burgundy is a very balanced pyramidal tree that tapers down from a central leader. When space is limited, this modern variety is the right choice! The Burgundy Sweetgum features vibrant burgundy and purple fall color rounds out the season beautifully! Unique Star-Shaped Leaves Columnar Shade Tree Fits In Small Landscapes Brilliant Burgundy/Purple Fall Foliage! Mature Height 40 - 60 feet Mature Spread 20 - 30 feet 4. Hackberry Tree Another big native tree with great shade is the Hackberry Tree. Named for its fall fruit that can be very bitter (but foragers use them as a chocolate substitute!), the mighty tree features strong growth and an upright form. The textured bark on mature trees adds winter interest too! Large Pointed Foliage Strong Trunk & Branches Hardy Deciduous Tough Native Long-Lived Shade, Street & Specimen Tree Seeds for Birds Resists Windy Sites & Urban/Drought-Tolerant 5. Elm Trees After the lesson with Dutch Elm disease, hybridizers have worked diligently to create hybrid Elms or selections of American Elm that are resistant to the disease. These include the Princeton Elm Tree, Accolade Elm, the Triumph Elm Tree, New Harmony Elm, and the St. Croix™ American Elm. The fine-textured leaves and wide adaptability, make Elms a natural choice for an Ash Tree alternative. Wonderful Shade & Fine-Textured Leaves Graceful Form Many Elm Disease-Resistant Varieties to Choose From Shade, Specimen & Street Tree Honorable Mention Honeylocust Trees have come a long way with a wider variety of options, sizes, and colors to choose from! The fragrant blooms, strong open canopies, and fine-textured leaves create light shade that won’t shade out your lawn and the small leaves take care of themselves in the fall! Try a Shademaster Honeylocust or other Thornless and seedless Honeylocust Tree for a great alternative! Should I treat the Ash Tree I have in my yard? Treatment is available and if you have a significant specimen in your yard, you may want to consider having it treated by an Arborist or Tree Service. What many are finding out in areas that are infected, they are spending their money on replacing those Ash trees instead of treatment. Your local County Extension Office will be an amazing resource for you to learn about options in your area, and be able to tell you if Emerald Ash Borer is a rising issue. County Extension Offices can also let you know tips and tricks to help prevent the spread! Bring on the Biodiversity! Biodiversity is the key when it comes to all urban landscapes. A healthy urban forest includes many different kinds (many different Genus) smartly planted without a monoculture of any one kind of tree. Planting many kinds of trees alternating with different Genus is the key! Nature Hills employs Plant Sentry™ to ensure we adhere to all State and Federal Agricultural Laws and not ship this Tree into areas where it will be any kind of an issue! Check out all the great shade trees available at Nature Hills and accent your landscape without worry! Happy Planting!

With soft sage green foliage and fine texture, the Russian Olive Tree is common to see growing along roadside and highway ditches. These scrubby-looking, wild trees may not look the greatest in these areas but a cared-for Russian Olive in the landscape is something to behold! So why can’t you find a Russian Olive for sale in a tree nursery? Russian Olive Tree Alternatives For Your Landscape! Non-Invasive Alternatives The Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) is a deciduous tree native to Europe and Asia and unfortunately, has found its way here and become invasive in many areas. Growing That is why you will not see them sold in stores. Introduced in the early 1900s as a windbreak tree that stabilized soil along riverbanks (its favorite environment) and provided habitat for wildlife, unfortunately, the Russian Olive escaped cultivation and is invasive throughout California and 16 other states. Outcompeting and choking out native trees and plants. So what can you plant instead? Russian Olive Tree Alternatives For Your Landscape! Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 3 to 7, here are some cold-climate and warm-growing zone options for the Russian Olive. 1. Serviceberry/Juneberry Trees The Amelanchier tree or shrub goes by many names like Common Serviceberry, Downy Serviceberry, Juneberry, Saskatoon Serviceberry, Shadblow, Shadbush, and Sugarplum, but this hardy native with small soft-green foliage and brilliant fall color creates an open and airy tree or shrub that thrives in a wide range of climates and growing conditions. The white flowers feed bees and become fat, juicy, edible purple berries resembling blueberries! Make syrups and jam from the fruit or let your songbirds eat them instead. Try a large-scale Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry, or the Cole's Select for incredible three-season beauty. Smaller White-Flowering Shade & Street Tree Wide Range of Heights & Widths Edible Fruit For Humans & Wildlife Incredible Fall Color Open, Airy Canopy 2. Amur Chokecherry Tree Nicknamed the Manchurian Cherry, the Amur Chokeberry (Prunus) is a fantastic edible ornamental that has four seasons of visual interest. This mid-sized tree delivers a symmetrical look but has an open and airy feeling that works well in naturalized landscapes. You'll welcome spring with a wonderful, fragrant flower display of drooping clusters. Delicate 3-inch racemes of pristine, white blossoms herald the new season. Those pretty, white flowers transition to small, red drupes that transition to black as they ripen in July. They are edible and - with sugar - can be used in tasty jams and jellies. Leaves Turn Yellow in Fall & Drop Cleanly for Easy Fall Clean-up Mature Height 20 - 30 feet Mature Spread 25 - 30 feet Decorative Bark With Year-Round Interest Great Pollinator & Wildlife Tree Fragrant, White Spring Flowers Growing Zones 2 - 6 Use the Berries to Craft Jam or Jelly 3. White Fringe Tree Known as the Old Man's Beard and many other regional names, the White Fringe Tree (Chionanthus) features unusual streamer-like white spring flower clusters that become purple grape-like fruit (on female trees) that birds love! The lacy fine texture and open canopy complement any landscape in both sun and partial sun locations. They’ll even handle full shade in hotter climates of USDA zones 4 to 9. Unique Fringed Streamer-Like Flowers Open & Airy Canopy Purple Fruit In Fall On Female Trees Mature Height 15 - 20 feet Mature Spread 10 - 15 feet Can Handle Moist to Average Conditions 4. Japanese Snowbell Trees & Shrubs The small foliage and smooth grey bark that fissures as it matures, the Japanese Snowbell is densely packed with elliptical deep green, and glossy foliage all growing season long! Plus you and your pollinators will benefit from the abundant white, pendulous flowers that become flashes of red berries for birds in the fall! As this deciduous tree ages, its bark starts to exfoliate and reveal mottled orange streaks beneath the gray outer surface.  Smaller White-Flowering Shade & Street Tree Mature Height 15 - 20 Feet Mature Spread 6 - 9 Feet Yellow-Green Tulip-Like Early-Spring Flowers Great Fall Color & Textured Bark For Winter Interest Pollinator/Bird-Friendly 5. Real Olive Trees Fruiting Olive Trees are the natural choice in warm regions as alternatives to Russian Olives. But with the bonus of edible fruit. Olive Trees are best in warm growing zones of 7 to 10 and have all the perks and benefits of the Russian Olive without any invasive tendencies. However, these trees prefer more arid, Mediterranean conditions instead of moist, riparian sites. Open Light Shade Canopy Sage-Green Fine-Textured Foliage Drought/Xeric Loving Airy Flowers For Bees Edible Fruit For Preserving & Brining Honorable Mentions For a smaller option with silvery foliage reminiscent of the Russian Olive, the Silver Buffaloberry is an 8-12 foot tall bush or multi-trunked tree form, that also has the added benefit of vibrant red berries for birds! It offers unique silver foliage, is extremely drought-tolerant, and spreads wide without getting too tall! Another option is the native Nannyberry Viburnum bush, you don't have to work hard for its priceless rewards - including shockingly bright fall foliage, cherry-red bird-friendly berries finish ripening to blue-black, and profusions of pure white blooms for pollinators. Growing 18 - 20 feet in height and spreading 6 - 10 feet, this incredibly cold-hardy shrub can be trimmed into a multi-trunked tree form for a more formal look! Non-Invasive Alternatives The Russian Olive tree may have cemented its presence along American roadsides and ditches, but finding alternatives that aren’t invasive is easy! Nature Hills employs Plant Sentry™ to ensure we adhere to all State and Federal Agricultural Laws and not ship this Tree into areas where it will be any kind of an issue! Find these fantastic alternatives and many more Unique Trees at Nature Hills Nursery today! Happy Planting!

It’s Apple season! But many Apples with thin skin won’t stick around for long and you’ll be rushing to use up your harvest. So you need good, old-fashioned storing Apples! Plus, once those early and mid-season Apples are done, you will still want a tree to fill your larders with Apples that will last through the late fall and winter! Late-season Apples last and last, and often get better in flavor after storage! Check out some of the best late-season winter and storage Apples for your home orchard! Honorable Mentions Storing Apples For A Year-Round Supply A Note About Apple Tree Pollinators Know When to Harvest Your Apples Tasty Long-Term Late-Season Goodness! Your usual long-storage Apple favorites include Fuji, Red Delicious, and Gala Apple trees that have a range of harvest dates and great storage capabilities! But maybe you are looking for one that isn’t regularly sold in stores! A good winter or long-term storage Apple needs good thick skin to resist bruising and cuts, plus help keep the flesh inside from drying out!   1. Wealthy Apple The Wealthy Apple Tree (Malus 'Wealthy') is a very juicy apple, with a tart and sweet, lively flavor and notes of honey, raspberry, and strawberry-like flavor. It was one of the first high-quality Apple varieties grown commercially and it is now often grown by backyard orchardists and great for smaller urban landscapes in the cold North. This mid-season Apple will be full of loads of red-blushed yellow-green fruit. The flesh is white with occasional streaks of red, which is crispy and very juicy. Very Juicy Red & Yellow-Green Apple Stores for 2-3 Months Semi-Dwarf Size Great Heirloom Apple 1,000 Chill Hours   2. Mutsu (Crispin) Apple The Mutsu Apple Tree (Malus 'Mutsu'), also known as the Crispin, is a cultivar first grown in Japan. It is a large to very large, greenish-yellow skin with a conical shape and an incredible sweet-tart flavor. Crisp and juicy with an alluring hint of tartness, the Mutsu has a unique exotic flare. Some say the flavor is closer to apple cider. Storing for a very long time, these are prolific producers! The Mutsu apple tree provides its bounty in September, and what a bounty it is! It has creamy white flesh and is delicious when eaten right off the tree, or stored for later use. Large to Very Large Green-Golden Fruit Sweet-Tart Crispy Flavor 500-600 Chill Hours Very Long Storage & Late Season Harvest Baking, Pies, Sauces, & Salads   3. Red Rome Beauty Apple Rosy red round fruit, the Red Rome Beauty Apple Tree (Malus domestica 'Rome') is a medium-large, Apple with lovely greenish-white, fine-grained, juicy flesh that is perfect for baking because it holds together great when cooked! These spur-bearing trees are named after the Ohio town where this chance seedling was discovered. Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 6 through 9, you can try pairing with an early season and a late season ripening Apple tree to extend your harvest! The late-arriving fragrant blossoms show up later to avoid lingering spring frosts to ensure an abundant crop by September to October. Flavorful Rosy Red Round Apples Fine-Grained Greenish-White Flesh Tart Long Storing Late Season Fruit Fantastic Firm Texture For Baking & Preserves Harvest September to October 700 Chill Hours   4. Granny Smith Apple One of the best-known Apple varieties for baking, and cooking, the Granny Smith Apple Tree (Malus 'Granny Smith') enjoys a long history of embodying an Apple with exceptional tartness for fresh eating and baking qualities! The greenish-white flesh is crisp and juicy! The juicy, white flesh is likewise energizing, with a crisp, tart flavor that's perfect for award-winning pies, culinary dishes...or just right off the tree! Its lovely, light-green skin (occasionally with a subtle, pink blush) presents a vibrant sight amid the branches in October, and in some growing zones can still be harvested until January! Storing remarkably well, these fruits remain crisp in cold storage or refrigeration for up to 6 months! Popular Green-Skinned Baking Apple Crisp Greenish-White Flesh Delicious Tart Apples Perfect Baking Apple - Holds Shape Well Late-Season Harvest & Stores 6 Months in Cold Storage! ~400 Chill Hours   5. Arkansas Black Outstanding color and flavor, with unique fruit on a gorgeous ornamental, the Arkansas Black Apple Tree (Malus 'Arkansas Black') will be full of dark red, nearly-black gems! This antique variety is a hardy and long-lived tree! The flavor is described as wine and honey, with hints of almonds and a mild vanilla finish, making them amazing dessert apples! It develops its best flavor after it has been stored chilled for a couple of months where it will darken and ripen where it sweetens. Dark Purple-Red Skin & Pure White-Flesh Late-Season Harvest Can Store 5 Months or More Honorable Mentions The Frostbite Apple is an extremely cold-hardy variety with sugar-sweet crisp fruit! Typically ripe late in the season in September to October, and then the red round fruit lasts 3 months in storage. For a late-season Apple with a very long hang time, the Jonagold is a standout sweet fruit! Storing Apples For A Year-Round Supply There are a few key points to remember when starting to store your Apple harvest! Apples must be of the best quality - no blemishes, bruises, or broken skin Clean your fruit well and dry the skin completely Wrap clean and dry Apples in newspaper or other clean wrapping Dry skin but higher air humidity You can wrap them in a plastic bag in a lower-humidity location Basements or cellars are great locations, crisper drawers or cardboard boxes Ideal storage conditions must include cool, dark locations above freezing with high humidity. Check your harvest frequently and immediately remove any that are bruised, showing signs of rotting, or spotting. A Note About Apple Tree Pollinators Some Apple trees are self-fruitful or partially self-pollinating, every fruiting variety does better with a friend! By planting in groupings, linear hedgerows, and high-density plantings, you’ll enjoy a far larger harvest per tree when planting your Apple with a pollination partner planted nearby. Know When to Harvest Your Apples Knowing when your Apple variety is typically ripe is the first step. It helps to know if you are growing an early, mid, or late-maturing Apple so you have an idea of when to start checking. Different apple varieties have different ripening dates, which can vary from year to year depending on the weather and your growing zone.  While picking one and taking a bite can let you know if it's time to harvest, there are a few other indicators that let you know when the time is right. Look for unbruised Apples that feel firm and heavy in your hand. The fruit should be firm and richly colored. The Apple should come off the tree easily when slightly pulled back from the fruiting spur on the tree. Cut the Apple in half to check for white flesh and if the seeds are brown. Then taste it … it should not be strongly sour or pithy.  Your local County Extension Office can be a good source for knowing when Apples are ripening in your area so check with them. Check out all of Nature Hills' #ProPlantTips on caring and maintaining your Apple tree for the healthiest plants, the most fruit, and a long lifetime of fruit! Tasty Long-Term Late-Season Goodness! Get ready to enjoy your harvest all year long! Imagine still having tasty Apples during the off-season or as winter and holiday gifts for your loved ones! All of Nature Hills’ fruiting trees and shrubs are shipped with mature 3-4-year-old root systems so you’ll enjoy fruit sooner! Find all these late-season and storage Winter Apple Tree varieties and more here at Nature Hills Nursery! Happy Planting!

Are your coniferous evergreens turning yellow or brown in their interior or dropping needles this time of year? Did you just receive an evergreen from Nature Hills this fall and the bottom of the is full of needles?  Don't fret! Every year the calls and questions ramp up in the fall, usually after the first cold snap or after the first strong autumn storm. And every year Nature Hills is here to ease your worries and remind you that Evergreens shed their old 'leaves' too! Out With The Old What To Expect In Autumn Leaf Shed During Delivery When To Be Concerned About Evergreen Needle Drop It Is Called 'Fall' For a Reason! Out With The Old Just like deciduous trees do each fall, the oldest, most interior foliage drops as a way of making room for fresh new growth in the spring! Evergreens with needles or needle-like structures, like Pines, Spruce, Fir, and other types of conifers and broadleaf evergreens - All dispose of their old leaves that don't photosynthesize efficiently any longer. While an autumn drop of needles and leaving bare branches is completely normal for deciduous conifers like Larch, some Redwoods, and Bald Cypress, other evergreens also shed their needles in the autumn as well! Just not completely. Some evergreens hold only one year of foliage on the newest growth, while others may hold two years or more. Douglas Fir Trees and Hemlocks may stick around 3-4 years while some Spruce can hold needles up to 5! Broadleaf Evergreens such as Camellias, some Rhododendrons, types of Holly, and Boxwood drop their leaves throughout the year as they become less efficient. Chances are you probably won’t even notice. What To Expect In Autumn Pine trees like White Pine hold the green, newest needles at the branch tips, but the older needles towards the interior will turn lemon yellow, brown, or tan, and fall off in a matter of a week or so. Leading to many gardeners biting their nails worrying something is wrong. Don’t worry, all Pines will do exactly this, just some more noticeable than others! Spruce, Hemlock, and Fir trees also shed their older interior needles closest to the trunk, but it is much less obvious and sometimes the shed isn’t noticeable. Arborvitae shrubs and trees this time of year will also see their older foliage turning yellow or tan and getting ready to drop. All cultivars and species of Arborvitae will drop the older foliage each fall season, but some are much more obvious than others leading to some concerned gardeners. This holds true for plants that are established, in the ground, in containers and planters …and plants that have just been delivered! Oldest needles not photosynthesizing efficiently fall away Interior needles being shaded out by new growth drop since they can’t produce food Old needles in general Just like the old hair on our heads, needles fall out to be replaced by new fresh growth! Leaf Shed During Delivery Being boxed and shipped exasperates the needle and fall leaf drop. Changes in humidity, temperature, and being out of the sun while your new plants are being shipped to you stimulate plants that are going dormant for the winter to hurry up the process of dropping those old leaves. Shipping can be a bit stressful for a plant after all!  Not just for the plant but for you too! When you receive your newly delivered tree or shrub in the fall with the bottom of the box full of shed needles - we understand that can leave you with good reason to be concerned! Don’t worry! Follow the instructions for unboxing and inspecting limbs and roots, soak your new plant, and then get it planted as soon as possible! When To Be Concerned About Evergreen Needle Drop When should you be worried when your Evergreens drop their foliage? Any time during the growing season when entire branches or limbs suddenly become defoliated (lost all their needles) Whenever needles at the tips of your branches fall off If new buds drop before opening Any time new growth falls off either still green or turns brown/tan first Sometimes Spruce trees and shrubs can in some areas of the country be susceptible to a fungus called Rhizosphaera needle cast, or Spruce Tree Needle Drop, which causes the needles to turn brown and fall off. In other areas, Rusts and other fungal issues on the foliage can cause yellowing and lead to needle drop too. Spider mites can be an issue on stressed trees as well. It’s a good idea to always check your trees and shrubs yearly and check in with your local County Extension Office to see which evergreens perform best in your immediate area and which to avoid due to a higher probability of potential issues prevalent in your region. This is because susceptibility can change from one region/climate to another, and change from year to year as well! Sanitation is key so if you suspect any issues with your trees - both deciduous and evergreen - be sure to rake up and dispose of any possibly infected dropped needles or leaves each fall. Stopping it from spreading or reinfecting your plants from year to year. Any time you are concerned about your trees or shrubs, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local County Extension Office or contact Nature Hills! It Is Called 'Fall' For a Reason! Being aware that this happens, especially in a drought year, it is more obvious and may happen earlier in the fall. The key is keeping newly planted Arborvitae soil moist until the ground freezes. It also helps to provide supplemental water during the dry periods of the year and top off the root zone with a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch. So if you have needles dropping in the autumn - It's just your trees removing old needles that aren’t pulling their weight! Get the rake and gather up this free mulch for your acid-loving plants and break out the hose! Your conifers are just getting ready for the winter and preparing for bursts of fresh new spring growth! Nature Hills is here with you to help you get your garden tucked away for the winter and will be here for bright spring beginnings too! Check out all the fantastic Evergreen Trees available at Nature Hills today! Happy Planting!

The gorgeous and glossy Holly has been a landscaping backbone for centuries! With their unique leaf shapes, dainty little white blooms, and their incredibly showy berries in the fall, it’s no wonder they’ve inspired folklore and superstition, and have embedded themselves in our Holiday traditions so seamlessly! But did you know there were so many types of Holly? Holly Bush and Tree Varieties at Nature Hills Get Growing Diversity With Holly from Nature Hills! Holly Bush and Tree Varieties at Nature Hills Botanically known as Ilex, Holly is a vast genus of about 400 species! All have gorgeous foliage, pollinator-friendly white or greenish flowers, and colorful berries to further enhance their unique foliage and dependable growth! Check out the many different types of Holly and what they bring to the landscape! 1. American Holly The great American Holly (Ilex opaca) is native to North America. Typically very large trees and shrubs, the American Holly features white spring blooms and the female plants produce glossy brilliant red berries for fall and winter interest! Growing very large - upwards of 50 feet in height or more, American Holly features spiny, pointed lobes like the Red Oak leaf shape. The very kind you think of when picturing a Holly! Dioecious - needs a male plant to pollinate the female plants American native Holly Mighty windbreaks Privacy hedges Garden backdrops and anchors Grand specimens and focal points Bird-friendly shelterbelts Snow barriers for drifting snow Armed deterrents and property definition Year-round screening Able to be sheared and shaped, American Holly are often used as impressive privacy hedges for when you need to block the view from not just eye level, but also from 3, 4, and even 5-story windows (in time)! Just give these large-scale broadleaved evergreens some space, or prune them more narrow as needed. Or create unique Holly Trees by removing their lower limbs and exposing the single-stem or multi-trunked stems. 2. Winterberry Holly Another type of native Holly is the American Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata). Also known as the Michigan Holly, or Canada Holly, Winterberry Holly are native deciduous Holly. The female shrubs display brilliant red, orange, or even yellow-colored berries for fall and winter interest! Both male and female shrubs have inconspicuous green-to-white flowers that the pollinators love, even if you won’t see them. The leaves lack the spines of the American Holly, but are still a gorgeous glossy green throughout the growing season. Deciduous Holly with separate male and female shrubs Brilliant berries for winter interest & natural decorations Great in moist soil locations & rain gardens Backdrops and back-of-the-border landscaping Foundation plants and hedges Light screening and property definition American native with Spineless foliage Bird-friendly fruit if a male is nearby to pollinate the female A great deciduous shrub that tolerates lowland areas where it grows natively. Typically occurring in swamps, damp thickets, low woods, and along ponds and streams, Winterberry looks great in your Rain Garden or in locations that can have more than moist soil! Male Winterberry Holly like Southern Gentleman look great on their own as landscaping workhorses, plus a single male shrub pollinates up to 10 female Winterberry plants, such as Winter Red or Sparkleberry. Try an orange-fruited Little Goblin® Orange Winterberry Holly and its male pollinator little Goblin® Guy. You’ll love the dark green leaves of Winter Red Holly or the light green leaves of the Berry Heavy® Winterberry Holly. 3. Inkberry Holly Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra) are another native American southern and coastal species with dark black berries. The long, slender leaves only have small teeth at the tips of each leaf, and have a leathery texture. The leaves are green and glossy resembling a Boxwood and have no spines, so try them as a native alternative to Boxwood that features every bit as much elegance. Mostly evergreen species Dioecious - need male and female plants near each other for pollination Toothy leaves resemble Boxwood Historically beneficial native Holly Unique black berries for birds Handle wet soil and rain gardens Hedges for privacy, screening, and foundations Great property definition, backdrops, and light barrier plantings Typically broadleaf evergreens, Inkberry are also known as Appalachian Tea (Indigenous Americans used the dried leaves as tea), and Gallberry. They earned their name because Civil War soldiers wrote home using the fruit as homespun ink. These are another great native plant that loves a slightly acidic soil, medium to wet soils, and full sun to part shade. Adaptable to both light and heavy soils, and even tolerates wet soils well! Try a Shamrock, Gem Box® or Densa, for compact low-growing and space-saving hedges, edging, and facer plants! Inkberry also features separate male and female shrubs like Winterberry and will need at least one male shrub to pollinate up to 10 female shrubs. 4. Yaupon Holly Another American native Holly is the Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria). Also found in the southeastern US, these dioecious shrubs have ornamental gray bark and broadleaf evergreen foliage. While not as showy or fast-growing as typical Holly, the leaves are also not spiny, and the red berries look fantastic in holiday decorations. Another American native species Dioecious and broadleaf evergreen Holly shrubs Spineless foliage & white flowers for pollinators Brilliant berries for winter interest & decoration Leaves brewed into a flavorful tea have some caffeine Slower-growing shrubs = lower maintenance and care! Hedges, backdrops and year-round screening Great landscape workhorses and easy-to-grow They earned their scientific name because the leaves do contain some caffeine and were prepared as tea by Indigenous Americans. When mixed with other ingredients, the tea induced vomiting for ceremonial reasons, but this was not caused by the Yaupon leaf itself. In fact, Yaupon Tea is still consumed safely today and is similar to the South American Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis), and has antioxidants that may reduce inflammation and have a role in preventing chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. 5. English Holly What is the difference between English Holly and American Holly? By and large, English Holly (Ilex aquifolium) are typically smaller than American Holly but have few other differences other than where they grow natively. English Holly features the same marvelously distinctive, toothed green leaves on a broadleaf evergreen shrub and pollinator-friendly small white flowers in the spring. Sprinkle some of the bell-shaped blooms on top of a pool of water to see if the old wives' tale is true - It's said that springtime Holly flowers turn water to ice! Like many English plants, Holly has more than its fair share of legends and folklore. After all, this is the showy evergreen that develops the celebrated red berries. Deck your halls at Christmastime with wreaths and garlands. Or leave the berries on the bush to feed the songbirds in your area after a few freeze-and-thaw cycles. 6. Japanese Holly Also known as Box Leaved, Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) have Boxwood-like leaves that usually do not have spines and are smaller than English and American Holly (both smaller leaves and smaller in size!). Like Inkberry, Japanese Holly are dioecious plants with separate male and female shrubs that must be planted close together for the black berries to form.  It features wavy, spineless, smaller (almost oval) foliage instead of the pointed lobes of more ‘traditional’ Holly. The finer texture lends itself to shearing and shaping like Boxwood too! The glossy leaves create lush privacy and many slender, more columnar forms of Japanese Holly are ideal as hedges and space-saving borders, backdrops, and property definition! Wide range of sizes & shapes to choose from - rounded, columnar, upright & pyramidal Dioecious broadleaved evergreen shrubs Small black fruit for birds on female shrubs Great garden definition, borders, edging, backdrops & low hedges Can be formally sheared or grown naturally Space-saving columnar forms for along pathways, driveways, and tight spaces Privacy and screening year-round Great in containers! Try varieties such as Sky Pencil, and First Editions® Straight & Narrow® Japanese Holly for small-footprint landscape workhorses! There are also more foliage colors available in the Japanese Holly family including yellow-leafed forms like Drops Of Gold Japanese Holly! 7. Chinese Holly Similar to Japanese Holly, Chinese Holly (Ilex cornuta) are also broadleaf evergreens, these densely packed shrubs are naturally compact and can be kept as tidy shrubs or small trees. These natives to China and Korea have naturalized in parts of the Southeastern US. Dioecious - separate male and female shrubs Brilliant berries for birds and decorations Spiny evergreen leaves - oval-shaped with pointed ends Little white blooms attract pollinators Underutilized evergreen shrub Versatile landscape uses - hedges, definition, screening, and more! The tiny white blooms attract pollinators and if a male shrub is nearby, female shrubs show off a few bright red fruit for birds. Favorites at Nature Hills include the Carissa Holly, and the fine-textured Needlepoint Holly.  8. Meserve Holly Blue Holly (Ilex x meserveae) are also known as Meserve Holly, have a wide range of shiny leaf forms in a soothing blue-green, plus brilliantly hued fruit on female plants. Like Winterberry Holly, Meserve Holly needs a male pollinator to pollinate the female plants in the area for a good fruit set. Even if only growing the male plants, they are very handsome with their glossy broadleaved evergreen foliage all year round all on their own. Dioecious evergreens for year-round blue-greenery Dainty white blossoms for pollinators Brilliant display of red fruit! Very showy fall and winter show Hedges, backdrops, showy foundation plantings and privacy Spiny leaves - Good thorny deterrents for property definition and borders Smaller container sizes to large landscape specimens Try pairs like Castle Wall® with Castle Spire®, the Blue Prince and Blue Princess Holly pairs, or the China Girl® and China Boy® Holly. Or splash out with the creamy two-tone variegated foliage of Honey Maid Holly! 9. Hybrid Red Holly Also known as Oakleaf® or Red Holly, these hybrids are taller, often pyramidal-shaped Holly with typical Holly-leaf-shaped, deeply dissected, spiny leaves. Featuring glossy broadleaf evergreen foliage, but also orange-to-red berries in the fall! Red Holly are different from their cousins as there is no need for a pollinator shrub planted nearby to get the fruit! However, as with any pollination situation - the more the merrier - literally. You’ll get a bigger fruit set with multiple plants in proximity to each other to help spread the pollen around. Broadleaf evergreens with spiny foliage Hybrid plants will pollinate themselves - more fruit with more plants though Showy bird-friendly fall and winter display of fruit Great hedges, backdrops and foundation plants Standout focal points and specimens Windbreaks and stop drifting snow Lush privacy all year long Try an Oakleaf® Red Holly or Acadiana™ Holly for impressive barrier plantings and fast-growing living deterrent hedges. Very adaptable to shearing and shaping, you can create unique topiary for your containers and garden conversation pieces! Foster’s Holly (Ilex x attenuata) is another type of Hybrid Holly that is generally self-pollinating and boasts Dahoon and American Holly parentage. 10. Possomhaw Holly Another fantastic American native are the bird-friendly powerhouses known as Possomhaw Holly (Ilex decidua). Brilliant red berries and ornately toothy, oval leaves of this deciduous Holly are not only beneficial for songbirds, but also a pollinator Host Plant for many butterfly larvae too. Wildlife devours the fruit as quickly as songbirds do, but if you can steal a few branches, your interior and exterior holiday containers will benefit from the bright red fruit on bare stems. Oval deciduous foliage with toothy margins and spiny ends Dioecious - plant multiples together for pollination Big brilliant red berries in the fall Wildlife, songbird, and pollinator food sources Large hedges, windbreaks, shelterbelts, and naturalized groupings Can be limbed up as small ornamental trees with spreading, open crowns Hardy native Holly can handle very moist soils and drought Get Growing Diversity With Holly from Nature Hills! While this shrub may seem a bit old-fashioned, there is a good reason why it was once a landscape standard! With all the new varieties out there, the magnificent Holly is sure to make a return to the American garden once again! Easy to grow, long-lived, and oh-so-versatile, the Holly bush or tree will inspire you to sing their praises as so many have before you have because of their steadfast beauty! Happy Planting!