Ilex (Holly) – Clipped Standard (5L Pot)

A holly trained as a standard, a single clear stem carrying a clipped evergreen head, for a doorway, a path or a large pot.

Holly is one of the toughest evergreens we sell. The leaves are glossy, dark and usually sharply spiny, and they stay on the plant all year, so a standard either side of a door reads in January as well as in June. It stands wind, cold and clipping, which is exactly why it takes a formal shape so well. A light trim once or twice through the growing season keeps the head tight and the stem clear.

Plant in full sun or partial shade in any reasonable garden soil that never sits waterlogged, and keep it watered in its first summer while the roots take hold. It copes with coastal wind and salt. Small flowers open in late spring and are worked by bees. Berries appear only on female hollies, and only when a male holly is growing somewhere nearby, so a single standard on its own may flower without ever fruiting. Supplied as one established plant in a 5 litre pot.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Holly
• Growth Habit: Clipped standard, a clear stem with a dense evergreen head
• Perfect For: Doorways, paths, formal planting, front gardens, large containers
• Foliage: Glossy dark green, usually spiny, evergreen
• Flowering Time: Small flowers in late spring, followed by berries on female plants where a male grows nearby
• Planting Position: Full sun or partial shade, and it copes with coastal wind and salt
• Soil Type: Any reasonable, well drained garden soil
• Hardiness: Fully hardy anywhere in Britain
• Maintenance: Low. Trim to keep the head in shape and rub off shoots on the clear stem
• Seasonal Interest: All year, with berries into winter on a fruiting plant
• Type: Evergreen shrub or small tree, grown here as a standard

Free UK Delivery on Every Order

All orders placed Monday–Thursday before 2pm are packed the next working day and delivered within 24 hours of dispatch.

Example: Order on Monday → packed Tuesday → delivered Wednesday.

Orders placed Friday–Sunday are packed and shipped on Monday. We don't dispatch on weekends to ensure your plants travel fresh.

How Your Plants Arrive
Every plant is individually wrapped in our plastic-free packaging and secured in a custom box designed to keep them upright and protected in transit. If anything arrives damaged, get in touch — we'll replace it.

Returns
Not happy? Contact us within 14 days of delivery and we'll sort it out. See our full returns policy here.