Blue holly vs Japanese holly

Blue holly and Japanese holly are often considered for the same spot in the garden (hedge, specimen). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Blue holly

Ilex × meserveae 2 m × 1.5 m after 10 years

A dense evergreen shrub with glossy, blue-green, spiny leaves that is much hardier than English holly, so it works both as an impenetrable hedge and…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 18

Japanese holly

Ilex crenata 1.2 m × 1 m after 10 years

A small-leaved, glossy, spineless evergreen that looks deceptively like box when clipped, so it is planted in its place for low hedges, edging and…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 17

Key differences

Blue holly grows larger: 2 m × 1.5 m after ten years, against 1.2 m × 1 m for Japanese holly (an estimate: sources differ).
Blue holly is hardier: down to -29 °C, against -23 °C for Japanese holly.
Blue holly copes better with summer heat than Japanese holly.
Japanese holly tolerates drought better than Blue holly.
Japanese holly also takes heavy clay, Blue holly needs a loose, free-draining soil.
Blue holly needs less care than Japanese holly.
Blue holly has thorns, Japanese holly does not.

Which one to choose?

Blue holly is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket, the spot is hot and sunny or you have little time for care.

Japanese holly is the better choice if space is tight, you cannot water regularly, the soil is heavy clay or it goes next to a path or play area.

Watch out for

Blue holly

In calcareous, alkaline soil the leaves turn yellow (chlorosis), the plant weakens and may die, so in many Central European gardens it needs acidic planting compost and regular soil acidifying. Winter sun and wind over frozen ground can scorch the leaves, and it suffers in hot dry summers without watering. Holly leaf miner, scale, spider mites and leaf spot may occur.

Japanese holly

In Central Europe it is planted as a box replacement but disappoints in many gardens: on alkaline, limy soil the leaves yellow from iron chlorosis and then drop, and it copes badly both with hot, dry summers and with winter waterlogging. In a limy garden it is only worth trying in acidified planting compost with regular watering. Spider mites move in during drought and Phytophthora root rot kills it in wet soil; in hard, windy winters the foliage can scorch, and yellow-leaved varieties are more sensitive.

The data side by side

Feature	Blue holly	Japanese holly
Group	Hedge	Hedge
Size after 10 years	2 m × 1.5 m (uncertain)	1.2 m × 1 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	1.5–4.5 m × 1–3.6 m	1.5–3 m × 1.5–2.4 m
Growth rate	Slow	Slow
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Medium	Low
Foliage	Evergreen	Evergreen
Flowering	April–May, white	May–June, white
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low	Medium
Maintenance	Low	Medium
Planted as a hedge	3 plants per running metre	5 plants per running metre
For dogs	Toxic	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Toxic	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For children	Toxic	Mildly toxic
Typical price	about PLN 33 (< 40 cm)	about PLN 34 (< 40 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 26, 2026

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