Big Ilex - collected American Holly

[MHBonsai]

Here is today:



I think this is an ilex opaca. Funny how things work out, on my commute every day I would drive by a big hedge row of these Holly's. And I would stop at a traffic sign checking this one out for a couple years until one day, a landscape company had ripthem all out with a skid steer and a strap. They were laying on the side of the road cooking, Midsummer and better than 90° outside. I played hooky from work and went to grab it.



Not much left for roots. And it was huge. I got to work so I could get it in the car.

 

[MHBonsai]

Built a box quicklike and crossed my fingers it had enough juice to survive. I wasn't too optimistic. Basically no roots left. I left green at the end of all the little trunks to help get it moving.





Virt I made on day one.

 

[cbroad]

I like it, nice and chunky!

Looks like dwarf burford, or maybe needle point. Could also be carrisa, the way they're reverting to regular cornuta.

About how tall were they when they were ripped out?

 

[MHBonsai]

It budded out everywhere. Grew hard all summer.



Today I put it into a better pot. Probably did not need to be done, but I wanted to check the roots out to see what was going on and I wanted to get it into better soil. I didn’t have much good soil when I collected at Midsummer, mostly just straight 8822.

I did not take any pictures, but all of the cut sides were full of fibrous roots from last year and fleshy new roots growing. I tried to baby it and slipped it into the new pot. Didn't take any photos of the process unfortunately.




It's like 19" across. And has this crazy hollow in the middle.

 

[MHBonsai]

I like it, nice and chunky!

Looks like dwarf burford, or maybe needle point. Could also be carrisa, the way they're reverting to regular cornuta.

About how tall were they when they were ripped out?

It was about 12' tall and very neglected.
No clue about what kind it really is!

 

[MHBonsai]

Almost the entire back is dead from the ripping out of the ground. I did some rough carving on the cut ends.

 

[MHBonsai]

Any guesses on if it's an Ilex opaca or something else? Leaf shape changes dramatically. No fruit yet.

 

[cbroad]

It's definitely not opaca with those different type leaves. It's a cornuta of some type, but the exact cultivar might be a little tougher to pin down.

All of the types that I mentioned in the other post are the types I know of that have the (mostly) lance shaped leaf with a terminal spine. Regular burford will definitely get 12' tall and so will needle point, and I have seen some really tall dwarf burford before but they were more like 10' tall. Carissa won't get that tall but I mentioned it only because I always see those revert to the 3 spined foliage.

But regardless of the type it is, I like what you have done with it. Looks like it's going to be a lot of fun developing it; makes me think twice about all of these I have to dig up and toss!

 

[MHBonsai]

It's definitely not opaca with those different type leaves. It's a cornuta of some type, but the exact cultivar might be a little tougher to pin down.

All of the types that I mentioned in the other post are the types I know of that have the (mostly) lance shaped leaf with a terminal spine. Regular burford will definitely get 12' tall and so will needle point, and I have seen some really tall dwarf burford before but they were more like 10' tall. Carissa won't get that tall but I mentioned it only because I always see those revert to the 3 spined foliage.

But regardless of the type it is, I like what you have done with it. Looks like it's going to be a lot of fun developing it; makes me think twice about all of these I have to dig up and toss!

You are right. Got to be a Chinese Holly. Ilex Cornuta. Thanks!

 

[just.wing.it]

Nice plant! I love hollies!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I started searching, there are a number of Ilex aquifolium hybrids, and I thought it might be that. But then I checked Ilex cornuta, and the leaves are an excellent match. So I. cornuta it is. Nice. That is quite a nice stump. Excellent find.

 

[MHBonsai]

Nice plant! I love hollies!

This one is my first. I wired up the new growth to give it some direction. It’s responding really well. Fun stuff.

 

[MHBonsai]

Hard pruned it and it's responding really well with a new flush and back budding.

 

[danielwow12]

Any update on this one? It seems to be responding very well! I have many shrubs just like this in my front yard I'm removing and it looks like I'll be making some boxes for several of them!