Ilex Sky Pencil

Ilex Sky Pencil (Japanese Holly) is a slow-growing evergreen shrub admired for its exceptionally narrow, upright habit and small, dark green, spineless leaves, making it perfect for vertical accents, tight spaces, and formal hedges. In spring, Ilex Sky Pencil  produces inconspicuous flowers that, when pollinated by a nearby male holly, develop into small purple berries in fall, which persist through winter and add subtle seasonal color. Thriving in moist, slightly acidic, well-drained soils, Ilex Sky Pencil adapts well to sun or partial shade and provides year-round structure and texture in the landscape. As a dioecious variety, Ilex Sky Pencil requires both male and female plants nearby to ensure consistent fruit production. Gardeners value it for its slender, upright form, low-maintenance growth, and ornamental appeal in narrow or formal garden spaces.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Low Maintenance.  Water regularly.   Well-drained soils essential.   Potential issues include mites, scale, leaf spot, rot, and mildew.  Susceptible to leaf scorch or drop if not protected from afternoon sun in hotter climates.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Wildlife Gardens, Privacy Screen, Foundation Plantings, Hedges, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS: Azalea, Astilbe, Barberry

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.