Ilex M: The Blue Prince has arrived!

By now, if you've heard of Sun Valley, you have most certainly heard of our Ilex Verticillata (aka Winterberry) Program, which our own Lane DeVries has been breeding and perfecting for well over a decade.


...But have you heard about our Ilex M?  

Ilex M and Ilex V together at last!

Ilex M (aka Blue Prince Holly) is an evergreen shrub, and was developed by crossing Ilex with other holly types (in this instance, meserveae) in order to create a cold-hardy plant with attractive foliage. 
 

The end result? Beautiful greenery.  Ilex M features lustrous, elliptical-shaped leaves on blue-purple stems.  The shiny, serrated leaves are dark green with a bluish tint; hence its common name, Blue Prince Holly. 

Growing Blue Prince Holly

This shrub likes full sun, which is why we grow the crop 40 miles inland from Arcata, at our farm in Willow Creek.  This micro-climate in the hills gives Blue Prince Holly exactly what it wants.  According to grower Tim, the adaptable shrubs are happy as can be out there.  They are a dream to grow, needing very little in the way of environmental interference--no pesticides, no fertilizers, no problem. 

Our Willow Creek Farm

Tiny, whitish flowers appear in spring (a sign of its pollinating power), and they're gone by harvest time in September.   An interesting fact about Ilex M hybrids is that they are dioecious shrubs.  This means that they have their male and female reproductive organs (stamen and pistil) on separate plants.  Blue Prince is the male plant, and Blue Princess is the female.  Those who want their Blue Princess shrubs pollinated have to have a Blue Prince nearby.  

Using Blue Prince Holly

Blue Prince Holly provides excellent texture and its serrated edges lend an elegant feel to any arrangement.  It is a lovely dark piece to work with, and helps lighter-hued flowers really "pop" when paired with its shimmering, waxy foliage.

Blue Prince Holly, white roses, and gypsophila (by Helen Jane Floristry)

It also resonates perfectly with both red and white flora and really lets them sing. Below you can see it paired with 20 stems of Sun Valley tulips. 

In addition to its attractive foliage, this branch boasts some other great specs--unlike other types of holly (which are short in stature), Blue Prince branches grow up to 32 inches, giving you flexibility and versatility in design. They are also incredibly long-lasting--if you were to bring some home today, it will easily last until the end of the year.  

White Oriental Lilies paired with Blue Prince Holly

Your Blue Prince has arrived, and although he’s not on a white horse, this handsome specialty branch will be available until the end of December.  We are now offering Blue Prince holiday consumer bunches; as well 5-stem simple bunches for your own fairy tale creations.