The Common Holly and its numerous varieties are always favourites, owing to their ornamental glossy-green, silver, or golden foliage, and their masses of scarlet or orange-yellow berries in winter. They flourish in good loamy soil, and are extensively propagated from seeds, cuttings, layers, and grafts by nurserymen. The common kind is raised from seeds and is largely used for hedge purposes and as stocks for the choicer varieties. Amongst the best of the green-leaved Hollies are camellioefolia, Donningtonensis, ferox (Hedgehog Holly), Foxi, Hendersoni, Hodgkinsi (one of the finest broad-leaved Hollies), ovata, platyphylla, Shepherdi, Whittingtonensis, etc. The best Silver Hollies are albo-marginata, argentea elegantissima, a. marginata, a. medio-picta, lucida (or Silver Queen), etc. Golden-leaved Hollies - awreo-marginata, a. picta. a. pumila, aurantiaca, Golden King, Golden Queen, Golden Milkmaid, Hodgkinsi aurea, etc.

There are several beautiful species of Holly found in botanical collections, but not generally grown by nurserymen. The best are cornuta (fig. 426), China; crenata, Japan, with a golden variegated form; dipyrena, a fine Himalayan plant; latifolia, Japan; opaca (fig. 427), North America; Penryi and Veitchi, two new distinct kinds from China; and several others.

Ilex cornuta.

Fig. 426. - Ilex cornuta.

Ilex opaca. (1/3).

Fig. 427. - Ilex opaca. (1/3).