Crenelated Houx

The crenelated houx , or Japanese houx, ( Ilex crenata ) is a Arbuste, often a Arbrisseau in culture, with foliage persisting pertaining to the kind Ilex , family of the Aquifoliacée S, originating in the Far East. It is cultivated like shrub of ornament.

Description

The crenelated houx is a shrub with compact port reaching up to seven meters in height.

It carries small sheets (3 cm length), of oblong-lancéolée form, whose edge of the limb is finely crenelated (from where the specific adjective). These sheets are persistent.

The flowers, small, 5 mms in diameter approximately, are of white color.

The fruits are small drupes spherical 6 mms in diameter approximately, of black color with maturity (sometimes white or yellows in certain varieties).

Distribution

This species is originating in the moderate areas of the Far East (China, Japan and Russia - Sakhaline).

It was introduced of Japan in Europe at the XIXe century (Introduction in England by Robert Fortune in 1864, then in France in 1895).

Use

Plant cultivated like shrub of ornament since the end of the XIXe century, of size limited in culture (2 to 3 m in height maximum). One knows of them various varieties, of which:

Convexa , small shrub with small sheets (1 to 2 cm length)
Helleri , dwarf variety with tiny sheets (12 mm length)
Fastigiata , shrub with set up port, sheets obovale inermes, male form
Ivory Tower , the female shape with fruits white ivory
Latifolia , shrub with small sheets with tiny serration
Nummunlaria , with very small sheets (15 mm length), of orbicular form.
Variegata , or Aureovariegata , with the marked foliage of yellow, forms male

The crenelated houx is relatively rustic and can support ds specific frosts until - 20 ° C.

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