Meserve Holly (Ilex × meserveae)

common name:

Meserve holly, Blue holly

scientific name:

Ilex

x meserveae

Holly branch with dark green leaves and small light pink flowers in sunlight.

Blue Princess® Holly (Ilex × meserveae ‘Blue Princess’) in bloom, with clusters of small white flowers emerging among glossy blue-green foliage on UNL's East Campus in April 2026.

Image Creadit:

Trey Lamkins, Graduate Research Assistant

Meserve holly (Ilex × meserveae) is a group of cold-hardy hybrid hollies valued for their glossy blue-green foliage, improved winter tolerance, and reliable ornamental performance. Developed by crossing English holly (Ilex aquifolium) with hardier species, Meserve hollies combine classic evergreen texture with enhanced adaptability to colder climates. In spring, plants produce small, inconspicuous white flowers that develop into bright red berries on female cultivars when a compatible male pollinator is present.

Charecteristics

Plant type:

Broadleaf evergreen

Hardiness Zones:

4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 7

Light Needs:

Full Sun

Water Needs:

Moist

Space Requirements:

6 -12 feet

Height Requirements:

6– 0 feet

Spread Requirements:

5–8 feet

Bloom Color:

White

Bloom Time:

Spring

Leaf Color:

Green

Wildlife Attraction:

Birds

Companion Plant Tolerance:

Deer

Uses:

Naturalize

Varieties

Holly bush with clusters of small, pale pink flowers and spiky green leaves.

'Blue Princess'

‘Blue Princess’ is a widely used female cultivar known for its abundant bright red berries and rich blue-green foliage. It forms a dense, upright shrub and is highly valued for winter interest when paired with a compatible male pollinator such as ‘Blue Prince.’