Description:

This Florida native is a tightly pyramidal evergreen holly with spines at the tips of the foliage and an abundance of showy red berries in winter; it is self-pollinating so it doesn't require a male companion to produce fruit; excellent for screening.

Ornamental Features

East Palatka Holly is primarily valued in the landscape for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The spiny pointy leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

East Palatka Holly is a dense evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. 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 tree, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

East Palatka Holly is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening

Planting & Growing

East Palatka Holly will grow to be about 35 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.