Ilex crenata

A very hardy but slow-growing holly with tiny spineless, box-like dark green leaves making it a good subject for topiary. Small, peppercorn-size shiny black fruits are produced. It does not like limey soils and it may benefit from an occasional feed of sequestered iron to prevent the foliage losing its' colour. The species plant tends to have flat leaves but the most widely used form is 'Convexa' which has, as the name suggests, convex leaves. In our opinion the most interesting use of Ilex crenata is the classic Japanese-style cloud-pruned trees which are often referred to as 'Giant Bonsai'