What cultivar of ilex x koehneana is it, maybe 'chestnut leaf'? Nice to have seedlings from it.

New growth goes through color changes. I think they will probably be the same when they get older.

Mike

huggorm: It is an unnamed cultivar as far as I know. It was just marked Ilex x koehneana.

Where are you from? I've never seen 'Chestnut Leaf' here. It's fairly common in Europe from what I've read. I have another one called 'Lassie' which looks to be similar to 'Chestnut Leaf'.

mike: possibly. They typically leaf out together and one does seem redder than the other. And spine orientation seems to differ.

Where are you from? I've never seen 'Chestnut Leaf' here. It's fairly
common in Europe from what I've read. I have another one called 'Lassie'
which looks to be similar to 'Chestnut Leaf'.

Okay, I didn't know it was mainly a european cultivar. I'm in Europe but it's rare here as well, it might be more common further south though

Chestnut Leaf seems to be readily available in the UK.

I think I once asked Mr. Kuhl about 'Chestnut Leaf' and the thinking is it was never imported to the US. Which is fine because we already have a plethora of I. X koehneana cultivars.

Since planting my holly collection I too spot seedlings that look odd sometimes but not exactly like these. I've wondered if opaca sometimes gets pollinated by one of my "exotic" males, even if the bloom times don't always match up. However I have so many Ilex opaca seedlings...I must pull spray or mow over 100 a year...these others just get lost in the noise and I certainly don't seek them out. (4 large female Ilex opaca on my property) In fact, now that my hedge of 'Hohman' is huge it's surprising I don't see more seedlings from it. But the birds definitely DO NOT like the berries as much as American, so that helps.

While I agree, there are a lot (too many?) of x koehneana cultivars (but why don't they get used more??), 'Chestnut Leaf' is a fairly unique and refined one.

There were some interesting holly seedlings that came up under my Castle Spire (a hybrid) and the range of sizes and shapes of the seedlings was just amazing. I transplanted three of them mainly to observe them. This was the largest leaf one (below). Very fast growing. About three feet high now. A lot like aquifolium.

And this was the smallest one (below). Incredibly miniature! Note my fingers for scale. Entire plant is not much over 5 inches high right now. Leaves are no more than 1/4 inch wide, maybe 3/4" long.

That last one there is a nice sport. Nurture it and see what happens.

/envious we can't grow holly well in Colo.

I agree about the last one.

The first one looks remarkably similar to the fosteri X aquifolium at Rutgers. They are both really good.

Yes, hollies are underplanted, especially all the numerous cultivars of I X koehneana. It's too bad McLean nurseries doesn't sell mail order, but I'm glad they are pretty close. Much like my first visit to Rarefind and rhodies going there really opened my mind to what can be done with hollies in our climate.

If McLean Nurseries at least had a good website with a retail list of varieties, I think it would bring more customers. It wouldn't take too much effort to maintain an online inventory. Not knowing what they have, I'd really not consider driving all the way up there.

I'm sure mail order would be a hassle for them and would probably require more workers (=more $$).

Castle Spire is a hybrid of Ilex aquitolium ‘Pyramidalis' and Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Prince'. And I have no idea what pollinated it, so these seedlings are a real a mix of genes. Could have been pollinated by either 'Blue Baron', 'Oakleaf', or maybe 'Gold Coast'.

Dave, I thought a Holly I have had small leaves. Yours are way smaller!

Because the leaves were small I mistakenly thought the plant would be small too. Not so. It puts on 6 to 8 inches a year unless I trim it. No berries in 20 some years so it must be a male.

Anyone have an ID for it?

Mike

Mike: very interesting. Looks like mine with maybe a strong rugosa influence? Could be a rugosa x aquifolium maybe. But i have no idea what's all growing out there? Where did it come from? Does it bloom? Male flowers are easy to ID.

I can't remember where it came from.

I guess I will have to watch it closer in the future to see if it's for sure a male or not. I just haven't paid much attention to it.

Mike

Well, I like it. Looks like it can be kept under control. What is that growing to the left with a glossy leaf?

It's a deciduous azalea. The 'glossiness' is the underside of some of the leaves.

Mike

Deciduous? OK, I won't hold that against you. LOL!