Burford Holly: a Low Maintenance Classic

With over three acres of land and a full time job, I am all about low maintenance gardening. I long ago realized that shrubs give me the most impact for my efforts, and hollies are at the top of the list for ease of care. Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii' is a Chinese holly that has been around a long time. Its favor has waned as trendier garden fashions have come and gone, but I think it deserves new recognition.

Burford holly has glossy, evergreen leaves with pointed tips. One does need to be careful of those sharp tips when pruning! The shrub produces creamy white flowers in spring. The small blooms may not be very noticeable to humans, but the bees love them. I am amazed by the dozens of bees that cover the shrub when it is in bloom, buzzing about and becoming drunk on the nectar.The flowers are followed by bright red berries. The characteristic that first drew me to Burford holly is that, unlike many other hollies, the shrub doesn't require a male pollinator for heavy fruit set.Birds, including robins, cardinals, and sparrows, will eat the berries in late winter after they have softened. Birds also consider Burford holly a choice nesting site.

I lightly prune my Burford holly once a year in December and use the cuttings, laden with berries, for Christmas decorations. Heavier pruning should wait till early spring, right before new growth begins. These shrubs are often pruned into formal shapes or used as hedges, but I have let mine keep its natural form. Interestingly, the branches of my particular plant have something of a weeping habit, which I think is beautiful. A recent photo of Burford holly in my garden

There are two forms of Burford holly, and one should be careful to purchase the best one for the location. The standard Burford holly will grow at least 15 to 20 feet high and wide, and if the lower limbs are removed, it will make an attractive small tree. The dwarf form, which is what I have, will be smaller, 6 to 10 feet in height and width. Note that the dwarf form is still a large shrub. Do not plant it as a foundation shrub in front of a window, as you will hate it when you are constantly having to prune the branches with their sharp, pointy leaves! I have seen dwarf burford holly advertised as a slow grower that will grow to only 2 to 3 feet. This has not been my experience, so it must be a different cultivar. Be sure of what you are getting.

Burford holly will grow in full sun to partial shade in hardiness zones 7-9. It is heat and drought tolerant and pest and disease resistant. Scale insects can sometimes be a problem, producing a black, sooty mold. Fortunately, my plant has never been affected. Though it will adapt to a variety of soil types and pH levels, it likes well drained, acidic soil. I fertilize mine only once a year, in early spring, with an organic fertilizer for acid loving plants.

Low maintenance gardening is first dependent on planting the right plant in the right place. If that rule is followed with Burford holly, it should provide you with years of pleasure, as it has done for me.

My Hearts-A-Bustin

Deep in deciduous woods from southern New York to Florida and as far west as Oklahoma and eastern Texas, there grows an unassuming native shrub with a certain pathos about its name. In Greek mythology Euonyme was the mother of the deities who caused suffering in everyday life, and Euonymus americanus grows most prolifically in Appalachian regions where tough topography and poverty traditionally make life difficult.

The shrub is also commonly called strawberry bush and hearts-a-bustin. It's easy to see why.
In early fall the seed pods turn from green to pink. Resembling wild strawberries, they are warty looking and about the size of acorns. As they open to reveal scarlet seedheads, the capsules split into heart shaped segments. The fruit are decorative, and I first fell in love with this plant when I came across a specimen covered with the interesting capsules. 

Early this year, I made the difficult decision to remove the agressive nandina domestica from my woodland garden, and I planted a variety of shrubs in its place. This was a great opportunity to try Hearts-a-bustin in my own garden. I like it because it is native to my region and because it is not aggressive, unlike its non-native cousin Euonymus alata, also called burning bush, which in some areas is very aggressive. Hearts-a-bustin will put out suckers and can form thickets, but it will not spread wildly through the forest or displace other plants. 

Euonymus americanus has thin green stems and an open, airy habit to about six feet tall. The deciduous shrub produces two to three inch lance shaped green leaves. Tiny yellow-green, star shaped flowers appear in the spring. They are beautiful, but you have to look at the flowers closely to appreciate them. Bees love the flowers, and deer will browse upon the leaves. I am fortunate that my woodland garden is in the middle of a small city, so I don't have to worry about the deer! Some birds will eat the seeds, but they can be poisonous to humans if eaten in large quantities, and they are also said to be poisonous to sheep. 

In September through October the understated shrub assumes the spotlight as its seed capsules dangle like bright ornaments.The leaves also are beautiful as fall advances, becoming translucent white, washed with shades of red and orange.

This shrub should be planted beside a path so one can easily appreciate its charms. It is a terrific low maintenance shrub - pest free and drought tolerant! It is comfortable in the woodland setting and grows best in sun dappled shade in humus rich, slightly acid soil.