Gold Coast English Holly
Ilex aquifolium 'Monvila'
Height: 6 feet
Spread: 6 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5
Description:
A stunning male variety of holly with deep green glossy leaves edged in golden-yellow makes a commanding accent plant or hedge; will act as a pollenizer for other aquifolium female varieties
Ornamental Features
Gold Coast English Holly has attractive forest green foliage edged in gold on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The spiny oval leaves are highly ornamental and remain forest green throughout the winter.
Landscape Attributes
Gold Coast English Holly is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Gold Coast English Holly is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- Hedges/Screening
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
Planting & Growing
Gold Coast English Holly will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
