Ilex aquifolium 'Nellie R. Stevens' Tree

Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens' is a popular hybrid of English holly and Chinese or Horned holly. The glossy, rich green, spiny leaves remain an attractive feature on the tree all year round. Small white flowers are followed by bright red winter berries on this female variety.

This variety of Holly tree has a neat, pyramidal shape with dense foliage. It grows to 5 x 3 metres in 20 years, making it well suited to many gardens. It is popular with wildlife, particularly birds who favour both the shelter and berries. Growing best in full sun to partial shade, it can tolerate deeper shade too.

• Common name: Holly tree
• Gender: Female variety
• Height and spread in 20 years: 5m x 3m
• Season of interest: Year round
• Foliage: Glossy rich green, evergreen leaves
• Soil: Tolerant of most soil types

Planting Ilex aquifolium 'Nellie R. Stevens'

This pot grown female variety of Holly can be planted at any time of the year. Firstly, remove all weeds and grass within a metre of your desired planting hole. Dig a square hole as deep as your root mass and approximately 2x as wide.

To help Holly trees establish more effectively, especially if you have poor soil, we advise applying root grow by sprinkling in the hole. Gently loosen the roots and place into the planting hole. If your soil is poor, mix 50% of the original soil with 50% high quality compost, fill in the hole and firm around gently. Make sure not to bank the soil up around the collar of the tree.

We recommend using a stake and tie kit and, if your area is prone to rabbits, a rabbit guard too. For further information, visit the help and advice section.

Aftercare Advice for Ilex aquifolium 'Nellie R. Stevens'

If you’re planting Holly in spring, summer or dry weather, water well and regularly for the first few months. Make sure to keep an eye on your young tree and increase watering if there are extended periods of hot or dry weather. If you’re planting in autumn, you may only need to water your tree a little. We also stock a range of irrigation kits, suitable for a variety of planting schemes.

Once planted, it is important to keep the area free of competing weeds and grass for the first couple of growing seasons.

Pruning Advice for Ilex aquifolium 'Nellie R. Stevens'

Holly trees do not require a lot of pruning. Simply remove any dead, diseased or awkwardly placed branches from your Ilex tree as and when you see them.

Delivery Costs

1 small tree (most under 1.5 metres in height) : £9.95 + vat

1 medium tree (most 1.5-2 metres in height) or 2-4 small trees: £11.95 + vat

2+ medium trees or 5+ small trees: £14.95 + vat

1-4 trees delivered by pallet to kerbside (inc. mature Japanese Maples): 24.95 + vat

Mature trees, pleached trees or orders too large for pallet: Cost is calculated in the checkout process and varies by postcode not quantity. Starts from £48 + vat.

The above prices exclude the Scottish Highlands, where delivery starts from £24.95 + vat and is calculated in the checkout process. Please note, we are unable to deliver outside of Mainland UK.

Delivery Timescales

All trees are carefully packed by our experienced team and most are delivered within 3 weeks of placing the order, unless stated otherwise. There's no need to be in to receive your order and you can request where it is left via the checkout.

For pleached and mature trees (trees over 2.5m in height), we group orders together by geographic area for specialist delivery - we will contact these customers about the delivery date.

Trees on pre-order are still growing and an estimate of when they will be ready is on the product/basket page. Orders are despatched once all trees are ready.

Gift trees and those required by a specific date can be accommodated with pleasure, although we accept no legal responsibility for late deliveries.

To collect trees, please book an appointment. Delivery charges will be refunded.

The product table at the bottom of the page gives the forms and sizes available for this variety. Please note, photos are a guideline as all plants are unique. *Pot sizes may vary. Below are definitions of terms:

Supplied Size: Height measured from the top of the pot.

Single Stem / Pruned and shaped: Classic shaped tree with a single stem that has had pruning to help create a beautiful, natural shape.

Top grafted: A height noted next to this form refers to the length of clear stem, which will not grow taller. Only the head of branches will develop. Top grafted trees do not require complicated pruning and are ideal for small spaces.

Feathered: A feathered tree has branches from the bottom of the trunk all the way up. These branches can be removed if a clear stem is required.

Multi Stem: A multi stem tree has two or more stems arising from or near ground level, growing from one root system.

Bush: A plant with many stems low down, rather than one clear stem.

Clump: Several plants in one pot that can give the appearance of a multi stemmed and very bushy tree.

Climber: A plant that is a natural climber and will be delivered usually running up a bamboo cane, ready to position in the garden.

Standard Tree: A more mature tree with an upright clear stem of approximately 1.8m-2.0m (measured from the soil to the lowest branches of the crown). Standards are available in different forms relating to their girth size (circumference of the stem measured 1m above soil level), not height:

Standard  either 6-10cm or 8-10cm girth, approximately 2.5-3.0m in height
Premium Standard  10-12cm girth, approximately 3.0-3.5m in height
Heavy Standard  12-14cm girth, approximately 3.5-4.5m in height
Extra Heavy Standard 14-16cm girth approximately 4.0-6m in height