HOLLY pollinating question - Ask Extension
So I have Mr. Poppins, Mrs. Poppins planted last year and they hopefully will berry this year...but most recently purchased a Royaty (Blue Holly Princ...
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HOLLY pollinating question #906430
Asked June 19, 2025, 3:28 PM EDT
So I have Mr. Poppins, Mrs. Poppins planted last year and they hopefully will berry this year...but most recently purchased a Royaty (Blue Holly Prince and Princess) Mix bush to plant. Then I'd like to have large specimen POTS of 2 CASTLE SPIRES or CHINA GIRLS for topiary specimens...WILL THE BLUE PRINCE help them be pollinated to PRODUCE BERRIES?:)
AI google response is telling me yes, but is it truly fact, that dominant male BLUE PRINCE, even growing separately with it's BLUE PRINCESS in the ROYALTY MIX bush, can infact polinate to make fruit berries, ANY of the BLUE FEMALE HOLLIES such as Castle Spire + China Girl??
Cerro Gordo County Iowa
Expert Response
Meserve hollies require a male and female plant to produce berries. The popular cultivars are paired up to clearly show which two cultivars are good for pollination. The common ones are China Boy and China Girl, Blue Prince and Blue Princess, and Castle Spire and Castle Wall, among others.
These are all Meserve hollies, which, in theory, should be able to pollinate each other. However, Meserve hollies are hybrids. Some are hybrids between prostrate and English holly, and some are between prostrate and Chinese holly. This means they may bloom at different times and therefore cannot pollinate each other.
Berri-Magic branded plants have the appropriate male and female cultivar duo planted in the same pot, making it easy to ensure fruit set. The male intertwined in the Berri-Magic plants could potentially pollinate other female cultivars in the area, like China Girl and Castle Spire, but if they are not blooming at the same time, it would not work.
It's worth a try to see if the male part of your Berri-Magic plant will pollinate your China Girl and Castle Spire. If you don't notice good fruit set, you may have to go out and find a China Boy or Castle Wall to add to the group. But this can be done later, if desired.
--Aaron
These are all Meserve hollies, which, in theory, should be able to pollinate each other. However, Meserve hollies are hybrids. Some are hybrids between prostrate and English holly, and some are between prostrate and Chinese holly. This means they may bloom at different times and therefore cannot pollinate each other.
Berri-Magic branded plants have the appropriate male and female cultivar duo planted in the same pot, making it easy to ensure fruit set. The male intertwined in the Berri-Magic plants could potentially pollinate other female cultivars in the area, like China Girl and Castle Spire, but if they are not blooming at the same time, it would not work.
It's worth a try to see if the male part of your Berri-Magic plant will pollinate your China Girl and Castle Spire. If you don't notice good fruit set, you may have to go out and find a China Boy or Castle Wall to add to the group. But this can be done later, if desired.
--Aaron
Aaron, Thank you! I love listening to you and I'm a big fan of your wonderful explanations to educate us local gardeners on the podcast GARDEN VARIETY!!! Thank you for the wonderful and easy explanation to my holly! I appreciate you making yourself available to educate the public.
