shrub

Sharum's Shamrock™ Holly

Ilex 'EN2'

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Sharum's Shamrock Holly (Ilex 'EN2') at Marcum's Nursery

Sharum's Shamrock™ Holly foliage

Sharum's Shamrock™ Holly foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  8 feet

Spread:  6 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  6

Brand:  Garden Debut

Description:

This outstanding holly makes an excellent hedge or screen with its broad, pyramidal habit; lustrous, deep green foliage with a coarse texture; abundant red fruit in winter, when a pollinator is present; a great addition to the landscape

Ornamental Features

Sharum's Shamrock™ Holly is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. It features an abundance of magnificent red berries in late fall. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage which emerges brick red in spring. The glossy oval leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Sharum's Shamrock™ Holly is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds and bees to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Spiny

Sharum's Shamrock™ Holly is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Mass Planting
  • Hedges/Screening
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Sharum's Shamrock™ Holly will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. This is a female variety of the species which requires a male selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight Soil pH Preference
Characteristics
Accent  Massing  Screening  Naturalizing 
Applications
Fruit  Foliage Color  Plant Form  Winter Value  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features