Tom Glasgow
County Extension Director
Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta) is one of the toughest holly species available for Eastern NC landscapes. It is drought tolerant, heat tolerant, pH adaptable, highly resistant to black root rot (Berkeleyomyces basicola), and tolerant of heavy cutting back if needed.
Numerous cultivars have been selected through the years, including the ubiquitous ‘Dwarf Burford’, ‘Carissa’, ‘Needlepoint’, and ‘Rotunda’.
Unfortunately, Chinese holly is so effective at surviving tough sites that it can be subject to misuse, including large-scale monoculture plantings that invite insect infestation. One recent example that comes to mind is a planting of 53 ‘Needlepoint’ hollies adjacent to a brick wall, with a south/southwestern exposure. It’s best not to tempt Mother Nature, and the consequence of this particular design scheme has been a heavy infestation of both tea scale and wax scale.