Bonsai Japanese Holly, Ref. 2842

Hollies, Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata), Jap. Stechpalme

Age 7 years. Height 27 cm.

Features:
In nature, the Japanese Holly grows in western Asia, Europe and Africa. It is of great interest to bonsai enthusiasts for its original small leaves, white flowers and shiny black berries. The miniature tree combines beauty and unpretentiousness. It is believed that bonsai holly brings happiness and goodness to the house. The berries of the holly are poisonous. For fruiting it is necessary male and female tree blooming at the same time, otherwise only flowers will appear.

Placement:
Japanese holly grows best in full sun or semi-shade. In hot weather, the plant should be shaded from the midday sun. In cooler climates, full sun or at least six hours of sunlight daily is required for development. Too little light will cause stunted growth and increased internodes. Direct sunlight can cause overheating and leaf scorch
Prefers a temperate climate and does not tolerate extremes of temperature, high humidity and strong winds well.

Temperature:
The tree can be grown outdoors at an average temperature of +18-20°C. A slight increase or decrease in temperature does not affect the plant. When kept indoors, you can place it on a windowsill that is illuminated by the sun. The temperature should be above +5°C.
It is necessary to ensure that the container with the plant is not heated by the battery if it is under the windowsill

Soil:
It may tolerate a variety of soil types, from sandy and rocky to clay soils. Ideally, it should be planted in loose, loamy soil with good drainage. It prefers slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5-6.
In neutral or alkaline soil, the plant's leaves turn yellow and it may die. A nutritious substrate rich in organic matter and water retention is a must.

Watering:
Watering your holly bonsai should be done when the soil is still moist, but not soggy.
The top layer of soil should have time to dry out between waterings.
During the warmer months, the tree will need more watering.
Staying in moist soil for too long can cause the foliage to turn pale green and eventually rot the roots. Sufficient soil moisture, and keeping the roots cool, can be achieved by mulching. A tray under the container filled with wet rocks or pebbles is very helpful and will create extra moisture around the plant.

Fertilization:

Japanese holly are fed with special fertilizers for bonsai. They are applied once a month from March through September. During the fall and winter months, the feeding is stopped. Both liquid and granular fertilizers can be used.

Fertilizer:
Tree are fed with special fertilizers for bonsai. They are applied once a month from March through September. During the fall and winter months, the feeding is stopped. Both liquid and granular fertilizers can be used.

Repotting:
The regularity of transplanting holly depends on the age of the tree. Young bonsab (up to 5 years old) are transplanted annually, medium-sized (5-15 years old) every three to four years, and adults (15 years and up) ten to fifteen years. When transplanting, partially cut the roots, leaving most of the old soil. Repotting is recommended in early spring.

Shaping and pruning:
Japanese holly trees are pruned as needed to maintain the desired shape from spring to early fall. Heavy pruning should be done in early spring before new growth begins. In the fall, two months before possible first frosts, pruning should not be done as it may stimulate the growth of new shoots that may be damaged by frost. Dead, damaged or diseased branches are removed as soon as they are detected.
All cuts are necessarily treated with a special putty, as this prevents diseases.
Wire wrapping should be done carefully, as branches can be fragile, so it is done only during the spring and summer growth periods.

Winterization:
For bonsai Japanese Holly in the winter period it is necessary to create resting conditions. This can be an unheated room (temperature from +6 to +12°C) with good lighting and humidity of at least 60%.

Common problems:
A common problem is yellowing of leaves due to too alkaline soil, which causes iron deficiency in the plant. Holly can only assimilate iron if the soil is slightly acidic. To remedy the situation, it is necessary to slightly acidify the soil by periodically adding lemon juice when watering (1 tsp. per 3 liters of water) or by other methods.


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