Tips for pruning holly

They're more versatile plants that you might think. Some, like Ilex crenata and the deciduous Ilex verticillata, don't look like hollies at all.

Keep in mind that most hollies are unisexual, meaning the flowers of each tree are single sex, so you'll need a male and female tree for pollination to occur and fruit to set. It's the female that produces fruit, so the male plant can be grown on the boundary out of sight, if needed. Of course, you could also grow a self-fertile variety like 'J.C. can Tol'.

You will need:

The right tool is essential for this task - for more information read our guide to tools for pruning. If you're looking to update your kit, our experts have been busy testing the best secateurs, so you can buy with confidence.

In a hurry? Here are the best buys from this test:

• Darlac Expert Bypass DP1030A
• Burgon and Ball Left Handed Bypass
• Niwaki GR Pro
• Felco 8 Bypass Secateurs

Discover more information on hollies in this video on growing hollies with Carol Klein.

Follow our simple advice on pruning hollies, below.

Lower branches

Lower holly branches can accumulate dead wood, especially in shady areas. Remove these, as well as branches that are diseased, dying or rubbing against each other. Some hollies throw out awkward shoots – prune them back to just above a bud.

Reducing a large holly

Tidy up a holly that is getting too big for its position by cutting each branch to create a good shape. In limited spaces, create a standard holly by removing all sideshoots from the trunk up to the required height.

Japanese hollies

Japanese hollies (Ilex crenata) grown as hedges or topiary should be clipped in May and September to keep their shape. They'll make fresh growth from brown wood if more drastic pruning is needed.

Variegated holly

Variegated hollies occasionally have branches that revert to the plain green of their parent. Prune this out promptly, cutting just back into wood displaying the variegated leaves you want.

Unusual hollies to grow

• Ilex aquifolium 'Bacciflava' – evergreen, yellow-fruited variety (female). Buy from Gardening Express
• Ilex x koehneana 'Chestnut Leaf' – evergreen, chestnut like leaves held on downward sweeping branches (female). Buy from Majestic trees
• Ilex crenata – small evergreen leaves and black berries, good for hedging. Buy from Crocus and Gardening Express
• Ilex aquifolium 'Lichtenthalii' – narrow evergreen leaves with a slight corkscrew shape. A rare cultivar for the collector.
• Ilex verticillata – deciduous holly with masses of red berries in winter. Buy from Gardening Express