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Ilex x 'Emily Brunner',
Emily Brunner Holly

A row of Emily Brunner Holly makes one of the best screens available. Its tight growth habit, even in partial shade, makes it nice along the border of a property to block a view or provide protection from the wind. Place it far enough away from the patio so the bees are not a nuisance when the plant is in flower. The cultural requirements are most likely similar to its parents, which means it adapts to a broad range of sunlight and soil pH. Provide good drainage for best growth.

Emily Brunner is a hybrid between I. latifolia and I. cornuta with an upright to columnar growth habit. It maintains the dense growth habit and the light-green foliage typical of the Chinese Holly with little pruning. The showy yellow flowers are unusually striking for a holly plant. 'James Swan' pollinates the plant. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.

Nursery operators grow the tree either as a multi-stemmed clump or with one central leader. Multi-stemmed trees may not hold up in ice storms as well as those with a central leader. Main branches on single-leadered trees are usually well-secured to the trunk, making the tree sturdy and a permanent fixture for almost any landscape.