Japanese holly

Quite unlike the popular conception of a holly, this is a yellow-leafed form of a slow-growing evergreen species from Japan and Korea. It has tiny leaves, similar to edging box, which are non-prickly and, if plants are trimmed once or twice a year, can produce an attractive dense dwarf hedge. The overall colour of plants is bright green suffused with golden yellow, although the gold is more prominent in winter and early spring. Plants are female but very seldom flower or produce the small black berries typical of the species. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).