Ilex aquifolium Silver Queen

Ilex aquifolium Silver Queen is an evergreen small tree that can be grown as a shrub. The leaves are green, slighlty mottled grey, with a striking white margin which are flushed pink when young. The young shoots are a deep purple which contrast beautifully with the foliage. Holly trees are dioecious, which means that male and female flowers are produced on separate trees. Silver Queen is a male variety; yes you read that correctly, it is a male tree, so this plant can be used as a pollinator for female varieties such as Ilex a. Argentea Marginata or Ilex a. Gold King. Yes, you read that correctly as well! Whoever named these Ilex trees must have been a panto fan!  Makes an excellent hedge. Easy to grow in any reasonable soil in full sun or semi shade. Can be used in a mixed planting or as a stand alone specimen in the garden or can easily be grown in a pot. When growing in a pot or other container use a good quality John Innes compost as this plant will be there a long time and peaty types of compost eventually degrade and become too packed and choke the roots. Ensure you feed regularly as a hungry plant is a poor performer. We recommend Osmoscote pro 12 - 14 month applied in the early spring. One application gives all the nutrients the plant requires for the whole year. John Innes is a soils based compost.