Ilex × meserveae
Blue holly (Ilex × meserveae) is a hedge plant. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -29 °C. Drought tolerance: low. Toxic to dogs, cats and children. Sold in local shops from about PLN 18.
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 as a specimen that looks good in winter. It is dioecious: red berries appear only on female plants, and only when a male is planted nearby (one male is enough for three to five females). Give it slightly acidic, moist, well-drained soil and, where summers are hot, shelter from afternoon sun and cold winter winds.
| Group | Hedge |
| Light | Full sun, Part shade |
| Size after 10 years | 2 m × 1.5 m |
| Ultimate size | 1.5–4.5 m × 1–3.6 m |
| Hardiness | down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7) |
| Soil | Average garden soil, Acidic |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Flowering | April–May, white |
| Water need | Medium |
| Drought tolerance | Low |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Root aggressiveness | Low |
| Suckering | no |
| Spreading | Low |
| Distance from buildings | at least 1.5 m |
| Distance from paving | at least 0.5 m |
| Litter | not typical |
| Planting distance | 80 cm |
| For dogs | Toxic |
| For cats | Toxic |
| For children | Toxic |
| Typical price | from about PLN 18 |
Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.
The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.
|
Size
|
Typical price
|
|---|---|
| 30-40 cm | approx. PLN 33 |
| 60-80 cm | approx. PLN 67 |
| size not stated | approx. PLN 18 |
Data updated: October 26, 2026 · How our data is made
Fast-growing hedges: how much each grows in a year
The fastest hedge plant is the Leyland cypress, growing about 90 cm a year, followed by cherry laurel 'Novita', firethorn and western red cedar at about 50 cm a year, then privet at 40 cm. How long a 180 cm hedge takes to screen depends more on the size of plant you buy: several years from small plants, one or two summers from large ones, but at many times the price per metre. The tables use the current shop prices in your country.
Planting a hedge: how many plants per metre, and what it costs
Most hedge plants go in at 2-4 plants per metre: Leyland cypress 2, cherry laurel and photinia 2.5 (40 cm apart), yew 3, hornbeam 3.5, privet and beech 4. The plants go in one row, 80 cm from the fence, in autumn or early spring. What the hedge costs depends most on the size of the plants: the table works it out at today's shop prices in your country, for the length of your own hedge.
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