wanted ilex serrata

[jarryd]

ive been after an ilex serrata for quite some time. i was woundering if anyone has one of any size or shape which they are willing to sell, take cuttings from, or sell seeds etc.
kind regards jarryd

[Jow]

You really need two for them to fruit well... a male and a female... which makes finding a pair even harder... Ive been looking for a while......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_verticillata

The American version might be more easy to source but i am not sure....

[jarryd]

thanks jow, ill look into it

[Gerard]

Ilex Serrata seems to be a wonderful species for bonsai plenty appear in books and magazines looking spectacular with their fruit on bare winter branches. It is sometimes called the Japanese winterberry. Sadly I have not seen any in shows.
About a year ago I purchased one at the BSV sale day, female I was told. It needs time but should make a nice tree.
As a bonus there were four cuttings around the edge of the pot.
I made it known that I wanted a male (how you can tell has me beat) and was rewarded with one 8 weeks ago. I have not seen flowers on either but it seems that I have very tiny fruit starting to form (unless they are flowers)
Perhaps I should make it my personal project to propogate lots of cuttings.
Gerard

[Jamie]

the ilex shown in the pictures is different from what i have seen in the nurseries here. they are common stock at one of my local standard nurseries. they sell for $8 each and exhibit a lot smaller shinier leaf. similar shape but would be les than half that size, probly apporx. 10mm long x 5mm wide. i have thought about getting one for a while but as they are starters it hasnt really taken my fancy. not sure on their growth rate though.
the starters had lack of movement, they would be fine for a formal upright as the trunks are dead straight up and down.



regards jamie

[Gerard]

Yes Jamie, I have had long discussions with a few people regarding the identification of Ilex Serrata, there seem to be some which are called the same but are certainly not the same. One I have seen is a shiny leaf (non deciduous) variety of Ilex which is I think the typical Christmas Holly, I believe this is not "serrata"
Gerard

[Jamie]

the ilex serata i have seen didnt have the tree or four spines on the leaves either. it had a common name of pencil holly, which made me start to think that it wasnt serata. i was pretty sure i had a christmas holly at one point and it lost its leaves and then died, i couldnt explain the cause. i got flowers on it then fruit then kaput. dead.
the pencil holly i can get as i said has the small leaves and are a very shiny dark green gloss.
dunno if this helps.

regards jamie

[Gerard]

Pencil Holly is Ilex Crenata, this is the one which is most often confused with Ilex Serrata.
pencil holly and google was all I needed to jog my memory

regards Gerard

[Jamie]

there ya go, the nursery had the sign and labels wrong then, one way or the other. thanks for the clearing up twosdale

regards jamie

[jarryd]

Gerard, if you could get a male and a female plant cutting growing i am happy to pay you and would greatly appreciate it, once you establish which are male or female of course.

kind regards jarryd

[Gerard]

English Holly -Ilex Aquifolium (Christmas holly)
Japanese Holly- Ilex Crenata (evergreen)
Japanese Winterberry -Ilex Serrata (deciduous)

I think I got that right

Jarryd, I will do my best.

Regards Gerard

[Jow]

American winterberry - Ilex verticillata

[Daluke]

Any success sourcing this?