Japanese holly 'Dark Green'

Ilex crenata 'Dark Green'

Japanese holly 'Dark Green' is a shrub for edging, structure, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or chalk, flowering May, Jun.

Where to use it in a border

At around 150 cm, it sits best toward the back of a border, or on its own as a focal point with room around it. Give it about 100 cm of room to spread. It is hardy across USDA zones 5a to 7b and rated H6 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, shade, clay soil, chalk soil, evergreen plants, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Japanese holly 'Dark Green''s height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• Evergreen, so it keeps the border furnished through winter.
• It tolerates a shaded, north-facing spot.
• Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Black mondo grassto edge in front
• Coral bells 'Fire Alarm'to edge in front
• Heucherato edge in front
• Japanese Araliafor height behind it
• Lily Turfto edge in front
• Wax Begoniato edge in front

Garden styles

Formal Modern Shade cottage