Holly Eagleston

Ilex x attenuata ‘Eagleston’

The Ilex x attenuata ‘Eagleston’ is a natural hybrid of the Dahoon Holly and American Holly. The Eagleston Holly is a beautiful evergreen holly that is grown as a large shrub or small tree with a pyramidal growth habit. The tree has a dense canopy with small slender branches which are smooth and light to medium gray in color. During the cooler months, it produces an abundance of bright red, fleshy, round berries.

The Eagleston Holly is less prone to many diseases common in the holly family, and the landscape industry has swayed to favor the Eagleston over its counterpart East Palatka Holly. It is becoming quite popular in the trade because it makes an excellent privacy hedge with relatively little care. The Eagleston Holly can be used for a variety of landscape settings as either a tall screen or a solitary specimen when grown with a single trunk in tree form. Eagleston Hollies can be grown with clear trunks or full to the ground.

Eaglestons are stunning ornamental trees that thrive in zones 6 to 9. Eagelston Hollies range between 20-25 feet when mature with a spread of 10-20 feet. Their slow growth rate allows for them to be kept in their natural, pyramidal shape with minimal upkeep or to be shaped to fit the finished project’s design plan.

Ornamental Characteristics:

Native Origin:
Hybrid from the Florida native Dahoon Holly and the
native American Holly

Common Names:
Eagleston Holly

Description:
Hardy Range: 6 to 9
Mature Height:  20 to 25′
Mature Spread: 10 to 20’
Growth Rate: slow
Form: pyramidal
Persistence: evergreen

Ornamental Characteristics:
Eagleston Hollies boast full, dense foliage with soft spines and a pleasant light green color. They can be allowed to grow naturally or limbed up for an ornamental clear trunk. They produce small white flowers in spring, which are attractive, but not showy. In fall, Eagleston Hollies explode with an abundance of round red berries, which will attract wildlife, especially birds.

Environment:
Soil: clay, sand, loam; slightly alkaline, acidic; extended
flooding; well-drained
Salt: N/A
Exposure: partial sun to full sun