Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
The Blue Princess Holly, also known as the Ilex X Meserveae ‘Blue Princess’, allows you to capture the charming spirit of the holidays during the warmer months of the year with ornamental, rich red berries and dark, spiky green-blue foliage. This holiday shrub features highly glossy leaves on purple stems and grows berries during the springtime. Be aware that the berries can be mildly poisonous to both humans and animals, so please keep them away from children and pets. At full maturity, you can expect your shrub to reach a height of about 12 to 15 inches and a spread of 8 to 10 inches.
This evergreen shrub has a moderate growth rate, adding about 1 to 2 feet of growth per year. It grows upright and is low maintenance, making it easy to care for. Although deer resistant, there are some pests you may need to watch out for, including leaf miners and spider mites. Furthermore, this plant may be susceptible to diseases such as powdery mildew, leaf spot, and tar spot. However, you can treat these conditions easily by using a spray fungicide. You can also help to prevent diseases by ensuring your shrub is getting an adequate level of air circulation. The Blue Princess Holly shrub can be used in landscapes, mass planting, hedges, foundations, or as an accent piece.
Blue Princess Holly Plant Care
Your shrub will grow best when getting partial shade to full sun, preferably a minimum of 3 hours of direct sunlight. The ideal time for planting is during early fall. When planting, you can add a layer of mulch to help with moisture retention as this plant needs moist, well-drained soil of either an acidic or neutral pH ranging from 5 to 7. You can also mix compost into the soil at the time of planting. Your shrub will need to be watered regularly, preferably on a weekly basis or more frequently in cases of extreme heat. For fertilizer, you can use an organic one made specifically for holly shrubs.
You can leave your Blue Princess Holly shrub unsheared to let it achieve its full height and width for privacy screens. Although pruning is not necessary, you can prune it during early wintertime to cut the stems and use the berries as indoor décor. However, the later you prune, the fewer berries will grow next year.
Blue Princess Holly Plant Spacing
When planting your Blue Princess Holly shrub, make sure to leave approximately 8 to 10 feet of space in between each plant.
Blue Princess Holly Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 5 to 8 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Part Shade to Full Sun (3+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 12-15 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 8-10+ Feet
- Growth Habit
- , Upright
- Water Needs
- Average
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , Green
- Flower Description
- Green, Red
- Bloom Time
- Spring
- Blooms On
-
Old Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Right after flowering
- Foliage Color
- , Green
- Foliage Description
- Blue-Green
- Foliage Type
- , Evergreen
- Seasonal Interest
- , 4 Season Interest
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Blue Princess Holly
- Botanical Name
- ILEX X MESERVEAE 'BLUE PRINCESS'
- Plant Type
- Shrub
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!