Thanks to Texas’ extreme heat and arid conditions, many evergreen plants don’t fair well in the state’s climate. The term evergreen means that the trees don’t lose their needles or leaves during cold winters when other trees do. While Texas still has a winter season, it isn’t nearly as cold or snowy as other northern states, meaning the weather can be a bit hot for more cold-acclimated plants. That doesn’t seem to bother holly bushes. Most of these plants keep their broad, flat leaves all year round no matter what part of the country you’re in, and some do pretty well in Northern Texas. Let’s look at which Holly bush to plant in Texas.
Blue Holly, Blue Maid, Blue Prince, Etc.
The blue holly bush takes its name from its gorgeous blue-green leaves with the typical holly shine. The bush grows bright red berries in thick clusters once it reaches around 3 feet tall. It makes an excellent privacy hedge or grows well potted.
If not regularly pruned, the Blue Maid can reach heights of 15 feet and a width of 10 feet. If you have the patience and the permission, these bushes graft well onto other plants when done in the correct season. This plant is easy to propagate and care for as long as you keep it trimmed back!
Blue holly and Meserve holly can often be mistaken for two things. In reality, Meserve is the branch of Holly from which all of the “blue” hollies come. Blue maid, blue princess, and blue prince are descendants of Meserve hollies. They share many of the same characteristics and growth regions.
While they typically prefer colder climates like Chicago or New York, Meserve hollies are resilient in any weather. Scientists bred these plants for their beautiful blue leaves.
Winter Red Holly
Named because of the stunning red berries the plant produces each winter, the winter red holly has long, glossy leaves that aren’t as prickly as other holly plants. This holly is a type of deciduous holly that loses its leaves during the winter!
In spring, you’ll have a beautifully lush green plant. In summer, the plant offers brilliant white flowers. In the fall, the leaves turn yellow and oranges, and the berries emerge as a bright red. You can’t go wrong with this planting this bush!
Japanese Holly
The Japanese holly, or the box-leaved holly, is often used as hedge rows among garden paths or as a centerpiece allowed to grow wild. Unlike the hollies above, which have larger leaves, this bush has much smaller leaves and quite a few more.
The box-leaved holly is a low-maintenance plant because it doesn’t need much pruning if you’re not using it as a hedge. They will grow to around 10 feet tall but can take several years to reach that height.
The plant offers small yellow or white flowers that grow upwards along the stems. The plant produces dark, blue to black berries that can be difficult to see from a distance. If you have a lot of native birds in your area, they’ll love the holly berries during the fall and winter!
Inkberry
The inkberry holly bush is durable in harsh conditions and can grow just about anywhere. It has dark berries and leaves. Compared to the other hollies in this list, it isn’t spectacular or impressive, but it can take anything you or mother nature throws.
Holly Bush Texas: Summary
Don’t fret if you live in Northern Texas and still want a gorgeous holly bush for your home or property. With the proper research, you can find a fantastic addition to any house, and you’ll even have your choice of what color berries you want! You should also research how far apart to plant holly trees and how to care for the holly bush of your choice.