Ilex crenata 'Steeds'

Ilex crenata 'Steeds', commonly known as Japanese Holly Female, is a woody landscape shrub valued for its green and white flowers during spring. It typically matures 5–10 feet tall and 5–8 feet wide. Grow it in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained clay or loam soil. Its native range or documented parentage is East Nepal to Temperate East Asia, Japan and Korea. The small fragrant flowers attract bees. In the landscape, it works well in border, foundation planting, and hedge. Once established, it shows useful tolerance to deer, diseases, and drought.

Builds the middle layer of the garden, adding structure between perennials and trees. Supports a more active, living garden with flowers that pollinators can use. A better candidate for landscapes with deer pressure than more browse-prone plants.

Glossy white, inconspicuous flowers; berries fruit; matures about 3 - 15 ft tall and 3 - 10 ft wide

Evergreen hedge, foundation planting, wildlife garden