Search Fact Sheets Virginia Tech Dendrology

Japanese holly Aquifoliaceae Ilex crenata Thunb. Listen to the Latin Print a QR link to this factsheet symbol: ILCR2
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, elliptical to obovate, very small (1/2 to 3/4 inch long), shallowly toothed on upper half or margin entire, shiny dark green above, dull light green below.
Flower: Species is dioecious; small (1/3 to 1/2 inch across) white, 4-petaled, pale greenish center, appear in late spring.
Fruit: Black, round drupe, 1/4 to 1/3 inch in diameter, ripen in early fall, persistent into spring.
Twig: Slender, yellow-green, often pubescent, buds small, leaf scar with 1 bundle scar.
Bark: Smooth, light greenish brown to gray.
Form: Most planted cultivars are a small shrub with a very dense crown, rarely exceeds 3 feet in height. Some varieties are more upright and the native species is a small tree.
 Looks like: boxwood - Chinese holly - yaupon - myrtle holly

Japanese holly leaf image
Japanese holly flower image
Japanese holly fruit image
Japanese holly twig image
Japanese holly bark image
Japanese holly form image
Japanese holly map image

Additional Range Information: Ilex crenata is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information