Lighting:
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Can tolerate both sun and shade, although semi-shade
is preferable in midsummer. Increased light tends to produce
dense foliage.
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Temperature:
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In general, evergreen varieties are hardy to zone 7,
deciduous varieties to zone 5. Most varieties will require some
frost protection, and all varieties should be sheltered from strong
or cold winds.
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Watering:
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Needs a fair amount of water, especially before fruit
production. Holly can be badly damaged by draught. Reduce watering
in winter. Likes misting, unless it is in full sun.
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Feeding:
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Every two weeks during growth, using half strength
liquid plant food, or bonsai food.
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Repotting:
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Every 1-2 years in early spring. Use basic bonsai
soil.
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Styling:
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Cut back new shoots to the one or two nodes closest to
the trunk. Branches can be very brittle, so shaping is best
done by pruning rather than wiring. If wiring must be done, it is
best to wire in spring-summer, taking care to protect the bark.
Leaf pruning to reduce leaf size is possible. Suitable for all sizes
and styles, although the evergreen varieties do not take as well to
broom style. Ilex asprella has a tendency towards horizontal
growth which must be compensated for; Ilex vomitoria, on the
other hand, has a strong inclination to grow upwards.
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Propagation:
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Seed, cuttings, and air-layering are all possible
for deciduous varieties. Evergren varieties are best propigated
through cuttings. Germination from seed requires cold pre-
treatment, and seed can take up to three years before sprouting.
Cuttings taken from wood grown in the current year root more
easily. Ilex vomitoria nana may be found growing in the wild
and may be collected in early Spring.
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Pests etc.:
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Caterpillars, leaf-miners, leaf spot. The plant
can also be weakened by too much fruit production, so it is wise
to limit the amount of fruit on the tree.
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