Hollyleaf cherry

Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia

Description

The hollyleaf cherry is the most widely distributed subspecies of the native holly in California. It grows in the chaparral, sage scrub and oak woodland plant communities. Rounded leaves are deep green and have strongly serrated margins; large clusters of softly fragrant cream colored flowers occur in spring. Many fruit are produced each year that attract birds and other wildlife.

Hollyleaf cherry is well suited for erosion control on slopes, habitat restoration and in ornamental gardens as background shrubs. It is also one of the best choices for use as a medium to large clipped hedge where it can be clipped for very neat character. Old plants can grow quite large in wild habitat, but plants in the garden are usually much smaller and can be pruned to any size. It is well adapted to heat, sun and low amounts of summer moisture.

Plant Type: Native, Shrub
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Upright, Mounding, Low-branching, Dense
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Dark green
Flower Color: Cream
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Moist soil, Deep soil
Exposure Adaptations: Moderate shade, Heat, Drought, All day sun, Partial sun
Function: Restoration, Parks and open space, Attracts butterflies, Foundations, Hedge, Foliage accent plant, Flowering accent plant, Espalier, Banks, Background plant, Attracts bees, Wildlife value, Slopes, Screening
Height: 5 ft. – 30 ft.
Width: 5 ft. – 30 ft.

Watering Schedule: Low 1

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 3-4 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another 3-4 weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
If you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, it is best not to use the automatic weather adjusting features for plants in this category. While very useful for watering higher water demanding plants, those in this category have natural drought adaptations which mean they do not need to be watered more in warm weather. Using the weather adjusting features will result in either overwatering in summer or underwatering in fall and spring.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.

Prune by heading back as much of the new-ish growth as desired (light cut back) and shape to encourage long-term nice form and branching pattern in May (1). Feel free to lightly prune outer branches if shaping is needed in early Fall, but try to reserve any more substantial pruning for late spring (1). Pruning can be used to shape hollyleaf cherry into a small tree or dense hedge. If hedging, remember to taper the hedge, narrower at the top, and wider at the base, so it gets good sunlight access across the entire plant (2). Hollyleaf cherry can be slow growing the first couple years, depending on conditions, but often increases growth rate once it has been in the ground a while (3). References