Patti O® Box Japanese Holly

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-4 Feet

Mature Spread

1-2 Feet

Growing Zones

6 to 8

• Partial Shade to Full Sun (At Least 4 Hours of Direct Sunlight)
• USDA Hardiness Zones 6 - 8
• Height 3 - 4 Feet
• Spread 1 - 2 Feet

Patti O Box Japanese holly (Ilex crenata ‘FARROWSK6’) keeps entrances and patio pots looking polished without overrunning the space. Its narrow, pyramidal silhouette grows just 3–4 feet tall and only 1–2 feet wide, and the small, glossy leaves stay deep green even in winter’s cold. Unlike boxwood, the foliage holds its color in full sun, part shade, and coastal wind, giving designers a dependable year‑round accent. Because the shrub rarely flowers, you never deal with messy fruit or pollen stains near walkways.

Native to the slopes of eastern Asia, this holly shrugs off deer browsing, salt spray, and urban pollution with ease. The foliage emits a light herbal scent when clipped, making it pleasant to trim into spirals, cones, or low formal hedges. Plant it in pairs to frame a front door, repeat it along a mixed border for evergreen punctuation, or drop a single specimen into a tall container where the columnar form brings instant height. Slow growth means less shearing, and the plant’s dense branching provides shelter for songbirds.

Patti O® Box Japanese Holly Care

Set transplants in slightly acidic, well‑drained soil amended with compost or pine fines; pH 5.5–6.5 is ideal. Give the shrub four to six hours of sun for the richest leaf color—morning light with afternoon shade works well in hotter zones. Water deeply once a week during the first season, tapering to occasional irrigation after roots establish; container plants dry faster and need a drink when the top inch of mix is dry. Fertilize lightly each spring with a granular, acid‑formulation fertilizer or an inch of leaf mulch around the drip line.

Minimal pruning keeps the column tidy. Pinch or lightly shear new growth in late spring to tighten the outline, then touch up in midsummer if a crisp formal finish is desired. Skip fall trimming, which can expose tender tissue to winter wind. In pots, move containers out of drying winds, and water during warm spells to prevent leaf scorch.

Patti O® Box Japanese Holly Spacing

For a uniform hedge, space shrubs 18 inches apart on center; widen to 30 inches when planting as individual accents in a mixed bed. In mass plantings or foundation lines, leave at least 12 inches from walls for airflow. Choose a container 14 inches wide and equally deep for a young plant; step up to a 20‑inch pot as the holly matures to maintain root health and moisture balance.