Sky Pencil

Sky Pencil Care

Ilex Crenata 'sky Pencil'

Other names: Japanese Holly 'sky Pencil', Sky Pencil Japanese Holly, Boxleaf Holly 'sky Pencil', Box-leaved Holly 'sky Pencil'

What is the plant

Ilex crenata, commonly known as Japanese holly or box-leaved holly, is a dense, multi-branched, evergreen shrub with a rounded form that typically matures to 5-10’ tall and as wide. It is native to forests, thickets and mountain slopes in Japan, Korea, China and eastern Russia (Sakhalin). It is noted for its ovate to elliptic, crenate to serrulate, glossy, spineless, evergreen, deep green leaves.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

min -23°C

Hardiness zone

5 - 8

Difficulty

Medium

Toxicity

Poisonous

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Water deeply after planting and add more fill dirt if the soil settles. Apply 2 to 4 inches (5-10 cm.) of organic mulch over the root zone to help keep the soil moist and water often until the plant is established and growing.
Pruning
Once established, Sky Pencil hollies need very little care. They don't need pruning unless you want to maintain them at a shorter height or narrower width. If you choose to prune them, do so in winter while the plants are dormant.
Fertilizer
Fertilize Sky Pencil hollies in spring with one pound of 10-6-4 or special broadleaf evergreen fertilizer per inch (2.5 cm.) of trunk diameter. Spread the fertilizer over the root zone and water it in. Established plants need watering only during dry spells.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Full sun to part shade.
Soil
This plant prefers sun to partial shade. It is tolerant of poor and sandy soil but prefers clay. It is intolerant of alkaline soils and drought. Sky Pencil Holly is easy to transplant and urban tolerant.
Temperature
Sky Pencil Holly is the perfect choice if you live in zones 6 to 8. That covers minimum winter temperatures down to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a sheltered location and live in zone 5, where temperatures can get to minus 20, then you may see some browning of the leaves in winter.

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Additional
The leaves and berries of the Japanese Sky Pencil are mildly poisonous and will cause vomiting and diarrhea if ingested. Sky Pencil' is an all-female cultivar which needs a male variety nearby as a pollenizer, in order to produce berries.
Popularity
236 people already have this plant 12 people have added this plant to their wishlists