Round-leaf Japanese holly is a handsome evergreen in the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). Plant in the full sun to partial shade in acidic well-drained soil though it tolerates a wide range of soil types, from moist to dry. It tolerates drought, shade, air pollution, poor soils, sandy and clay soils and is easy to transplant. It has a slow growth rate, is alkaline intolerant and may not thrive in areas with high heat and humidity (USDA zones 8 and 9). This cultivar is male, although female plants may be sold erroneously under this name. Round-leaf Japanese holly, as with most Ilex crenata cultivars, tolerates heavy pruning and can be grown as a shrub or as a small tree left to grow to its maximum height of 20 feet. Whether as a shrub or tree, its form is dense, upright, and rounded and can be used for topiary. This cultivar is appropriate for a winter, Asian, English, or drought-tolerant garden. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to pests. Spider mites and nematodes are occasional pests. Alkaline soils will cause the leaves to turn yellow. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests. More information on Ilex crenata .
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.
Often confused withBuxusBuxus microphylla var. japonicaIlex crenata 'Compacta'Ilex crenata 'Convexa'Ilex crenata 'Helleri'Ilex crenata 'Hetzii'Ilex crenata 'Soft Touch'Ilex crenata 'Stokes'
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; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
Mature size
Height: 12 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Multi-stemmed; Pyramidal; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Crenate
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf value
Good Cut; Long-lasting
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Relatively large leaves are alternate, simple, obovate, and between 3/8 to 1 inch long. They are minutely toothed on the margins with 11 to 16 teeth. The underside is dotted with blackish pellucid glands. Some leaves are slightly convex while others are not.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Cyme
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers are a dull greenish-white and 3/8 inch in length. Inflorescence is pistallate, a cyme, in leaf axils of current season's growth.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit size
< 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
This male cultivar does not produce fruits.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Green
Bark detail
Smooth, gray-brown or slightly greenish.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Stems are green on current season of growth, turning gray-green to gray-brown by year 2 or 3. Young stems are often densely pubescent.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
East Nepal to Temperate East Asia, Japan and Korea
Wildlife value
The small fragrant flowers attract bees. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.
Attracts
Bees; Pollinators; Specialized Bees
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edibility
Use caution. Human ingestion of berries can cause minor toxic reaction.