‘Conaf’ holly is a hybrid marked under the name Oakleaf™ holly. This evergreen shrub is a chance seedling from the well-known 'Mary Nell' holly and was introduced in the mid-1990s. Like all hollies, it is a member of the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). Grow in full sun or very light shade. This holly cultivar has a pyramidal form and will reach a height of 14 feet, with some reports up to 20 feet, at a moderate rate of growth of about one foot per year. It withstands sheering well and is resistant to insect and disease problems as well as deer browsing. Oakleaf™ holly gets its name from the shape of the plant's leaf, whose shape resembles that of the leaves of certain oak ( Quercus ) species. The evergreen foliage starts out purplish green and then turns an attractive medium green with a lighter-colored leaf edge. While the flowers are insignificant they are perfect, meaning they will produce attractive orange-red fruits without the need for a male pollinator. The Oakleaf™ holly's eight-foot spread makes it ideal for evergreen hedges or planting in mass for screening purposes. This showstopper is attractive enough to set out into your garden as a specimen plant and its glossy green leaves and showy fruits make lasting interest in the fall and winter garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests. More information on Ilex .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheIlex vomitoriaIlex x attenuata Foster Hybrid GroupIlex x meserveae
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Shrub; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry | Occasionally Wet
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
3.5 inch oak shaped leaf. In spring, leaves are bronze to purple burgundy in color and retain color for several weeks. Margins are serrated with 3-5 pairs of prominent spines.
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Green; White
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small four petaled green to yellow-white flowers in clusters in the leaf axils in spring.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Long-lasting; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
3/8 inch orangey-red drupes in fall that persist into winter.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeast United States
Wildlife value
Fruits are attractive to birds. Flowers attract bees. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.