Mountain Holly
Nemopanthus mucronatus

Family: Aquifoliaceae

What it is like

Nemopanthus mucronatus is a deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft 10in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). . Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 3

Where it is found

Damp woods, thickets and swamps.

Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to Ontario, south to Wisconsin, Indiana and Virginia.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Fruit. Quite bitter.

Medicine

Rating: 1

The root is diuretic. An infusion of the grated root is used in the treatment of gravel. A decoction of the small branches, reduced to a syrup, has been used as a tonic.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Other

Rating:

How it is grown

Tolerates most soils except those that are water-logged. Prefers a cold damp spoil. Seldom fruits well in Britain, the seed only matures in reasonable summers. Most of the plants that have been supplied under this name in Britain this century are in fact Ilex collina. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed can take 18 months to germinate. Stored seed generally requires two winters and a summer before it will germinate and should be sown as soon as possible in a cold frame. Scarification, followed by a warm stratification and then a cold stratification may speed up the germination time. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of almost ripe wood with a heel, August in a shaded position in a cold frame. Leave for 12 months before potting up. Layering in October. Takes 2 years.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

N. canadensis. Ilex canadensis. non West. Vaccinium mucronatum.