Due to it’s slow growth rate and small leaf size Ilex crenata is often used in topiary (as well as hedges) to create anything from spheres and cloud pruned trees, to life size horses, dinosaurs and even miniature Eiffel towers. The glossy, sometimes slightly spiny to wavy toothed edged leaves are around 3cm long x 2cm wide giving the plant a box like look.
Small white flowers appear in summer and are followed by black, inedible fruits. Hardy and more tolerant of full sun, dryer positions than box and is happy in any well drained to moist but will drained soils. Wind tolerant and is just as happy in part shade as it is in sunnier positions. Maximum height if not clipped is around 8 meters with a spread of 1.5 meters.
Sent as a young plant in a 9cm pot.
Additional photos by CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127210, By KENPEI - KENPEI's photo, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1888762,
By Qwert1234 - Qwert1234's file, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30570686, By KENPEI - KENPEI's photo, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1735658,
By KENPEI - KENPEI's photo, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?