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The U.S. National Arboretum presents Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil', a unique form of Japanese holly that makes a living exclamation point in the landscape! The strongly fastigiate, pencil-thin growth habit and lustrous, dark evergreen leaves provide a rare, natural, vertical accent in the landscape. Even the smallest of spaces can accommodate this excellent and durable holly. |
'Sky Pencil'
Japanese Holly
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Botanical Name: | Ilex crenata Thunb. 'Sky Pencil'
(NA 57190) |
Family: | Aquifoliaceae |
Hardiness: | U.S.D.A. Zone 7 |
Development: | Discovered in the wild on Mount Daisen, Honshu, Japan, by Norihiro Shibamichi, this upright holly found its way to the private collection of Dr. Masato Yokoi, Kawaguchi City, Japan. Dr. Yokoi donated propagation material of this selection to Sylvester March, U.S.N.A., and Frederick Darke, Longwood Gardens, during a 1985 U.S. National Arboretum collecting trip. It was propagated and distributed as 'Sky Pencil' through the Elite Plant Program in 1992. |
Significance: | A unique form of Japanese holly, 'Sky Pencil' has a naturally narrow and fastigiate growth pattern. |
Description: | Height and Width: 10 feet tall
and approximately 2.5-3.0 feet wide at maturity.
Habit: Tall, multistemmed, narrowly fastigiate, evergreen shrub. Foliage: Lustrous, dark evergreen leaves typical of the species. Flowers: Female selection. Small, solitary, dull greenish-white flowers in May to June, in leaf axils of current season's growth. Fruit: A berry-like, dark purple drupe, 1/4 inch in diameter, ripening in September to October. Inconspicuous. |
Culture: | Prefers light, moist but well-drained, slightly acid soils in either sun or shade. Transplants easily. Needs no pruning to maintain growth habit. Chlorosis may occur if soils are too alkaline. |
Propagation: | Roots easily from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in mid to late summer, under mist, 1000-3000 ppm IBA quick dip, in 4-6 weeks. |
Landscape Use: | Effective as a single specimen; dense, narrow hedge; mixed with other evergreen and deciduous plants. Well suited for urban gardens and smaller spaces which demand a strong vertical accent. Excellent for formal spaces or foundation plantings. |
Availability: | Readily available from wholesale nurseries and some retail nurseries. |
U.S. National Arboretum Elite Plant
U.S. National Arboretum, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 3501 New York Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 20002 |
Last Updated January 14, 2002
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