Ilex X Koehneana Chestnut Leaf Holly

Ilex X Koehneana
Chestnut Leaf Holly holds the RHS Award of Merit and is one of the best hollies for berry production, especially when grown in a sunny position. It’s very accommodating and takes well to clipping so it’s a good choice for hedging or grown as a full standard tree in more compact gardens.

Ilex X Koehneana has pale grey-green stems and foliage that’s chestnut leaf shaped - hence it’s common name ‘chestnut holly’. Individual leaves are glossy mid-green and reach up to 15 cm with serrated edges that are less prickly than traditional hollies.

Small white flowers appear in mid-spring that are very attractive to pollinators. These are followed by a profusion of crimson-red berries in late autumn.

Standard trees will eventually develop a pyramidal shape with downward sweeping leaves. Chestnut holly hedging shrubs grow bushy and dense but are easily clipped into shape.

This is a female holly that bears berries and will pollinate from any nearby male holly such as Ilex Meserveae Blue Prince.

Height and Spread Of Ilex X Koehneana
A standard tree will reach between 4 to 8 metres tall and 2 to 4 metres wide at the crown. Hedging shrubs can be kept to preferred height and spread with regular clipping.

How Hardy Are Ilex X Koehneana
Chestnut holly is a hardy plant that’s tough enough to withstand UK weather conditions. It prefers warmth and sunlight but will grow in colder parts of the UK down to sub-zero temperatures.

It is drought tolerant and pest resistant once established.                                                                                

How To Use Ilex X Koehneana
Because it’s an evergreen chestnut leaf holly provides a structural backdrop to all styles of garden

It’s a good hedging choice as it stays green all year round then provides a spectacular boost of colour with its crimson berries just as the garden is fading in autumn. A pleached version of chestnut holly is a smart above fence screen that will block neighbours throughout the seasons.

Plant shrubs a metre apart for a thick hedge and clip them after the berries have fallen during mid-winter or early spring.

Chestnut Leaf holly also makes a head-turning no-effort-required specimen tree that provides shelter and food to wildlife 12 months of the year.

How To Care For Ilex X Koehneana
Chestnut holly ideally prefers a sunny, sheltered spot so choose a south-facing, draught and frost-pocket free space if you can. This will promote strong growth, flowers and fruits, however, this is a tough plant that will grow in exposed conditions and all types of soil except waterlogged ground.

Once planted it’s important to water chestnut holly regularly until established. A good thick layer of mulch around the base during spring locks in moisture and provides nutrients for a healthy season of growth.