Japanese Holly care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) wants full sun and a drink about every 7 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Ilex crenata |
|---|---|
| family | Aquifoliaceae |
| category | shrub |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 7 |
| mature height cm | 250 |
| min zone | 5 |
| max zone | 8 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | true |
| toxic to humans | true |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Japanese Holly?
Boxwood look-alike without the blight.
Is Japanese Holly toxic?
Berries.
Who eats it
Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is low. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 35 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 55 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 4.5. It tolerates soil up to pH 5.5. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: no. It needs at least 160 frost-free days. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -13°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a multiple stem form. Its growth rate is slow. Its lifespan is long. It puts on most of its growth in spring and summer. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: yes. Its tolerance of hedging is medium. At maturity it reaches about 10.0 feet. By twenty years it is about 4 feet. Its roots go down at least 10 inches. Its shape is decumbent. It holds its leaves through winter: yes.
What it looks like
It blooms in mid spring. The flowers are yellow. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is dark green. The foliage texture is fine. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is dense in porosity. Fall colour: no. The fruit or seed is black. Fruit begins in spring. Fruit finishes by summer. It fruits medium. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: no. Propagated by cuttings: yes. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: yes. Seedling vigour is low. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02