Ilex crenata 'GOLDEN GEM' - bonsai

Ilex crenata 'GOLDEN GEM' - bonsai
Japanese holly

SIZE/TYPE	low or groundcovering
USUAL HEIGHT	0.3-0.6m
USUAL WIDTH	1-1.5m
LEAVES	evergreen broadleaf
COLOUR OF LEAVES	+multicoloured:yellow and green
FLOWERS	insignificant or non-blooming
LOCATION	full sun to shade
SOIL TYPE	acidic (peaty) to neutral
SOIL MOISTURE REQUIREMENTS	evenly moist (dislikes drought)
USDA zone (lowest)	5 (down to -29°C)
WINTER PROTECTION
FOR ZONE 5+6
FOR ZONE 7
BELONGS TO CATEGORIES	Evergreen broadleaf

Japanese holly is one of the top popular plants for bonsai makers. It grows slowly, forming a dense shrub and can be shaped to almost any size you wish.

Golden Gem variety is a low, dense shrub with bright golden-yellow top leaves is placed in full sun, leaving the bottom ones dark green. This bicolour effect is very elegant. Leaves are small and glossy, gently serrated at margins. Fruits are usually absent on sheared plants, but if any, they are small, glossy black berries in autumn.

Bonsai shrubs are trimmed several times a year. First cut should follow the last strong frost in spring and the last one not later than September.

It is usually trouble-free, it tolerates any soil and can withstand summer dry spells once established. For best results, however, use medium fertile, slightly acidic, moist but well-drained soil. Hardy to -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 04-08-2011

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GLOSSARY

STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.