Useful and Striking
If you think male pollinator shrubs are only good for their utility, think again! Castle Rouge® blue holly (Ilex x. meservae) is a male pollinator, so it’s useful for pollinating Castle Keep®, Castle Spire®, Castle Wall®, and other blue hollies, but it’s also extremely handsome on its own.
Castle Rouge® blue holly’s glossy new growth emerges a red-burgundy color all season long, and then, in winter, the whole plant transitions to deep burgundy. This stunning color show gives your garden year-round interest! The colorful foliage looks great in winter/holiday arrangements; just ensure you spread cuts around the plant to avoid holes.
Castle Rouge® is suited for USDA zones 5-7 and thrives in full to part sun. At 5-8’ tall and 4-5’ wide, this shrub is perfect as a specimen, for hedges, or for foundation plantings. If you‘re using it to pollinate a female blue holly, ensure you are planting one male for every seven females and position them within 50 feet of each other so they get good cross-pollination. Castle Rouge® flowers on old wood, so it’s best to leave it unpruned.
Holiday Season
Share your love of gardening with the people you love! Strike up a gardening conversation with family and friends during the holidays using the questions in Kristina’s “17 Gardening Questions to Ask Yourself (+ Friends + Family)” blog.
Happy Holidays!