How to Grow and Care for Dahoon Holly

Reviewed by Mary Marlowe Leverette

Dahoon holly is a low-maintenance broadleaf evergreen tree known for its signature bright red berries and glossy dark green leaves that lack the spiny edges found on many hollies. The plant can grow as a large multi-stemmed shrub or small tree trained with one leader to serve as a trunk. Dahoon holly does best in moderately cool to warm climates in a spot with naturally moist soil and plenty of sun. The berries of dahoon holly, like many other holly species, contain saponins that are mildly toxic to humans and animals.

Dahoon Holly Care

Here are the main care requirements for growing dahoon holly.

• Plant the tree in late fall or early spring in the cooler weather.
  

• Give it plenty of space to grow, as these trees will spread 12 to 15 feet. Plants can be spaced somewhat closer for a screening hedge.

• To plant, dig a hole as deep as the container and two to three times wider. Set it in the hole slightly higher than it was in its container and backfill with soil.

• Water consistently; these trees are not drought-resistant.

Light

Dahoon holly thrives in full sun but can be entirely adequate in a partial shade location where it receives two to six hours of direct sunlight daily.

Soil

Dahoon holly prefers consistently moist soil, as befits a plant that is naturally found in the swamps, bogs, and damp woodlands of the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas. It will grow in clay, loam, or sandy soils, but if the soil is naturally dry, the roots require regular watering.

Water

In its native habitat, dahoon holly is found in boggy areas where moisture is a constant presence, so it will grow best if you can mimic those cultural conditions. After planting, cover the soil with 2 inches of mulch to retain moisture. Water the roots thoroughly during the first year. Be sure to water more often during periods of drought. Without proper watering, the roots will reach for any source of moisture and become stressed.

Temperature and Humidity

Although hardy in zones 7a to 11a, dahoon holly will be best in zones 8 and 9. Zone 7 may call for some winter protection. It has a good tolerance for the extreme humidity levels of coastal regions in zones 10 and 11, though growth will be somewhat more subdued. It is mildly salt-tolerant.

Fertilizer

Dahoon holly doesn't demand regular feeding, but if your soil is alkaline, an annual dose of an acidifying fertilizer may help prevent chlorosis (leaf yellowing).

Types of Dahoon Holly

• 'Angustifolia': This cultivar of dahoon holly has narrow leaves. You may have trouble finding this species outside its native growing area in the nursery trade.

• Ilex x. attenuata hybrids: Dahoon holly is a genetic parent of several more well-known hybrid hollies, including Ilex x. attenuata cultivars 'East Palatka', 'Hume #2', and 'Savannah'. These cultivars may be easier to find than the species form.

Pruning

Regular pruning is not an essential maintenance task with an established dahoon holly. However, like most hollies, it willingly accepts hard pruning to shape it. Pruning helps the tree grow strong and structured. This holly is also a good tree often used for bonsai practice.

Berry-producing evergreen hollies like dahoon are best pruned in the dormant period of late winter so that you don't remove the attractive berries that form during the summer growing season. They can also be pruned in the summer immediately after flowering, but this will remove the current season's berries; if you prune at this time, be prepared for a winter without the bright red berries.

How you prune will depend on the effect you desire, but in general, it's wise to begin by removing any crossing or rubbing branches. If you want a more traditional tree-like effect, competing leaders can be pruned away when the plant is young to favor a central leader to serve as a trunk. If using the plant in a hedge, conclude the pruning session by trimming back the tips of the branches to produce the desired outline. Avoid pruning the canopy if possible; it has a rather open habit with twisted, small-diameter branches coming from main stems to create a drooping effect that makes an effective privacy screen.

Propagating Dahoon Holly

Because seed propagation is a slow, difficult process, evergreen hollies are more often propagated by taking stem cutting and rooting them. This, too, can take some time, but it is not difficult; here's how to do it:

1. In mid-summer, use sharp pruners to cut segments off the tips of new-growth branches, about 3 to 5 inches long. Strip away all but the top three or four leaves.

2. Dip the cut ends in rooting hormone, then plant the cuttings in pots filled with a mixture of sand and perlite. Moisten the potting medium, and place the pots inside loosely sealed plastic bags.

3. Set the pots in a moderately warm location, 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, in bright indirect light. Inspect the cutting weekly, watering lightly if the growing medium becomes dry.

4. When a good system of roots has developed (four to six weeks), remove the plastic bag and set the pot in a bright location, such as a sunny window. In warm-winter regions, the potted cutting can be grown outdoors.

5. After a few months, transplant the actively growing cutting into a larger pot filled with ordinary potting mix.

6. Continue to grow the plant in a sunny location through winter, then plant it outdoors when warm spring weather arrives.

How to Grow Dahoon Holly From Seed

Hollies are not easy to grow from seed, as the seeds typically require two to three years of dormancy to be viable. Furthermore, the plants are dioecious, meaning that individual plants have male or female flowers but not both. This means that unless you are growing both male and female plants near each other, the fruit of a female dahoon holly is likely to produce sterile seeds.

If you do want to experiment with seed propagation, take these steps:

1. Peel off the skins of ripe berries in the fall, and break them apart to reveal the seeds inside.

2. Rinse the seeds in cold water and plant them in a large, flat tray filled with standard potting mix.

3. Cover the trays and place them outdoors in a protected area for the winter. You'll need to be very patient, as it can take a full two or three years of repeated winter chill before the seeds germinate and sprout.

4. When the seeds do finally sprout, carefully transplant the seedlings into individual pots to continue growing.

5. After another year of growing in pots, they should be ready to transplant into the landscape.

Potting and Repotting Dahoon Holly

Though container culture is not common, dahoon holly is by nature a slender and fairly well-behaved plant that readily accepts pruning. It makes a good container tree for the patio or deck when planted in a large, heavy, well-draining container filled with a good moisture-retentive potting mix. These plants do not much care for repotting, however, so it's best to choose a large pot right from the start.

Dahoon holly is also used for bonsai practice. New shoots are constantly clipped off and directed with wires, and the plants undergo frequent root pruning. The plant is carefully removed from its pot to have the roots trimmed.

Overwintering

Dahoon holly generally does not require protection against the winter cold. However, if you are in zone 7 you may find that tenting the shrub with burlap during the coldest periods will prevent desiccation and winter burn to the leaves.

These trees have relatively thin bark, so young specimens may benefit from shielding the trunk with hardware cloth to prevent rabbits and other creatures from gnawing the bark. Shielding the trunks can also prevent damage from mowers and other mechanical equipment. This protection isn't needed for older trees.

In areas with dry winters, make sure to thickly mulch the ground to preserve soil moisture.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Aside from pruning, dahoon holly is a virtually maintenance-free plant that rarely suffers from pests and plant diseases.

Insect pests also generally leave dahoon holly alone though the tree is quite susceptible to two-lined spittlebugs, which leave frothy trails of excretion as they feed on leaves. Seriously infested trees may drop leaves. Spittlebugs are fairly easily treated by blasting the leaves with water to dislodge them. Good cleanup beneath the tree will remove eggs and prevent a new infestation.

Occasionally, mites, leaf miners, and scale insects may feed on leaves and stems but the damage is rarely serious enough to require treatment. Dry conditions are more likely to encourage these pests.

Fungal diseases that are common to many other hollies do not seem to affect this tree. You may see swelling (twig gall) on the foliage or twigs if the plant is experiencing a fungus infection, but these growths tend to naturally die back and usually don't require treatment.

How to Get Dahoon Holly to Bloom

Bloom Months

The flowers appear on this tree in late spring but they are not very showy. Female plants display the flowers in the spring, followed by red berries that persist through the winter to attract wildlife.

What Do Dahoon Holly Flowers Look and Smell Like?

The flowers on female trees are white. The flowers on the male tree are tinted greenish-white. Both types of flowers have a subtle, sweet scent meant to attract pollinators.

How to Encourage More Blooms

There is no real reason to worry about a holly tree that doesn't bloom—unless you want the red berries that appear after a female tree blooms. If the tree doesn't bloom, it may be a matter of being patient, as a young tree may not produce blossoms (or subsequent fruit) until it is at least three or four years old.

If the tree produces spring flowers but not fall berries, you likely have a male tree that will never produce fruit. For growers who want plentiful berries, it's recommended that you grow at least one male tree to help pollinate nearby female trees.

Deadheading Dahoon Holly Flowers

Poorly timed pruning can temporarily interrupt the flower/berry cycle of these plants. If you prune in early spring as new growth is beginning, you'll be clipping off the flower buds and ruining the berry production for that year. It's best to perform pruning operations during the winter dormant season.

Common Problems With Dahoon Holly

This plant is largely free of the complaints common to other species of holly. Regular watering makes for a healthy plant that resists most problems. However, stay on the lookout for the following issues.

Yellowing Leaves

Like many acid-loving plants, a holly that grows in soil that is too alkaline may develop chlorosis, a condition where the leaves become yellowed, while the veins show as dark green. The solution here is to lower the soil pH, either through an iron-boosting amendment or by fertilizing the plant with an acidifying fertilizer, such as one formulated for azaleas.

Shriveled Brown Leaf Tips

On occasion, the leaves of dahoon holly may develop scorch due to rapid temperature fluctuations in late winter. This doesn't produce any long-term harm; the tree easily recovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this tree used in the landscape?

This multi-purpose small tree can thrive in metro areas and even grows well along highways. In a residential setting, it is recommended as a small shade tree around patios or to form a pruned hedgerow along a property line. Squirrels and many types of birds are drawn to the red berries of dahoon holly in the fall and winter. Branch cuttings make beautiful centerpieces for the holiday season.

How long does dahoon holly live?

Dahoon holly is a fairly slow-growing but long-lived tree. In good growing conditions, a holly tree can rival the oak for longevity.

Where does the name "dahoon' come from?

It's thought that the name "dahoon" originates from an early French adaptation of the native Indian word yaupon—the Catawba tribe's word for a particular type of holly used in ceremonial drinks. The French referred to this plant as "houx d'Hon" and over time it became standardized as "dahoon."

Read the original article on The Spruce.