Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens' – Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens'

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Aquifoliaceae

Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens' – Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens'

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First-class American cultivar, originating from a cross between I. cornuta and I. aquifolium. Attractive, healthy leaves and good, tight, regular habit. Because the plant can bear very many fruits, ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ is one of the most widely used holly cultivars in the USA. Nellie Robinson Stevens was a respected head teacher in Oxford, Maryland. She was also a keen gardener. Around 1900, she collected the seeds from naturally pollinated I. cornuta in the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington. Descendants of these seeds grew in the garden of her home, which after her death in 1951 was purchased by the grower Gustav van Lennep. He noticed the plant and introduced it.
Good news: the vast majority of our range is immediately available from container stock. A few varieties that are only available as field-grown trees will be delivered from November 2026 onwards. We will let you know in advance per order which trees will arrive when.
Availability
Clear stem (1)
Specifications
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Height
6 - 8 m
Crown
pyramidal , dark, dense crown
Bark and branches
dark grey-green
Leaf
oval to elongated, dark olive green, with 2 - 3 teeth on each side, 5 - 8 cm long and 4 - 5 cm wide, evergreen
Flowers
♀, white, inconspicuous, April/Ma♂
Fruits
orange-red, fleshy drupe, 8 - 10 mm, very numerous
Spines/thorns
None
Toxicity
has toxic components
Soil type
humic, moist but well-drained soil, tolerates both acidic and calcareous soils
Paving
tolerates no paving
Winter hardiness zone
6 (-23,3 to -17,8 °C)
Wind resistance
very good
Other resistances
resistant to frost (WH 1 - 6), can withstand wind
Fauna tree
provides food for birds
Application
parks, tree containers, cemeteries, roof gardens, coastal areas, large gardens, small gardens, patio gardens
Shape
clearstem tree
Origin
G.A. van Lennep, St. Michael, MD, USA, 1954
Clear stem tree calcareous soil loamy soil peaty soil sandy soil tolerates no paving resistant to frost (WH 1 - 6) can withstand wind broad conical dense crown green average growing provides food for birds toxic components Ornamental fruit
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Frequently asked questions
Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens'

Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens' can eventually reach a height of 6 - 8 m, depending on the site and climate conditions.

Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens' is average growing and can eventually reach a height of 6 - 8 m, depending on the site and climate conditions.

The right time to plant Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens' is during the dormancy period. In Western Europe, Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens' with root balls can generally be planted from mid-November to late April, although this depends strongly on the climatic conditions and the species of tree.

Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens' blooms in april.
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