Royal Family Holly Combo
Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess' / Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Prince'
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Royal Family Holly Combo - #3 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H |
---|---|---|
$0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
$20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
$50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
$70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
$100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
$130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
$150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
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2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
#1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
#3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
#6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
#7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Royal Family Holly Combo highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Fall Color
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pollinator Required
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring

Growing Zones 5-9
Red winter berries! We've taken both the Female and Male varieties of Blue Holly broadleaf evergreens and carefully grown them together in the same container - creating this fantastic 2-in-1 Royal Family Holly Combo (lex x meserveae 'Blue Princess and Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Prince')! You'll be ensured of proper pollination needed for the very best display of those classically showy red Holly berries.
The display begins in spring with tiny white flowers, that slowly transition into round green fruit that ripens to eye-catching red. The effect of bright red against the glossy green foliage is breathtaking, especially when contrasted against the winter snow or against the muted tones of the dormant season.
Elegant broadleaf evergreen Blue Hollies really look sophisticated all year long, with their incredibly shiny, dark blue-green, serrated leaves and deep purple stems. They feature those distinctive spines along the toothed margins. You'll instantly recognize the unique shape of the Holly foliage - long celebrated in literature and folklore!
Love the Holidays? Grow your own decorations with the wonderful specialty Holly from the expert growers at Nature Hills! Enjoy a huge yearly fruit set of those bright red Holly berries! Our "Royal Family" comes from combining these two royal family members!
Planting and Application:
This lovely broad-leaved evergreen plant combo makes the perfect screening plants, barrier plants, or specimen plantings! The Royal Family Holly Combo grows into an elegant broad-leaved evergreen. It easily elevates the tone of your landscape with its densely held formal foliage. The high-gloss leaves bounce reflected sunlight to marvelous effect.
This is an excellent choice to use to create living walls for outdoor rooms in your garden. Create a Secret Garden or outdoor dining room using these dense, ornamental evergreens for screening. These formal plants create a beautiful screening hedge or grouping and give you effortless year-round privacy. Plant them 3 feet apart on center for a dense hedge. You'll measure from the center of one to the center of the next.
Use an odd number of plants to create a focal point grouping in the lawn or try one on either side of your entryway. No matter where or how you use the Royal Family Holly Combo, you'll add much-needed, year-round structure to your garden design. Use them strategically to direct traffic as a beautiful barrier plant. Those spines on the leaves will easily keep people in line without shouting or making a fuss about it.
Live in deer country? They don't like to bother with Royal Family Holly. But local songbirds will love its berries (which are not edible for humans). Create bird-friendly shelterbelts that slow wind, reduce noise, and hold back drifting snow!
If you prefer a more informal look, simply expand the space between them to 5 feet. Allow them to grow in their full, natural style. Try Royal Family Holly plants as a gorgeous evergreen backdrop on the north side of a colorful mixed shrub border or perennial border. These special plants are great as anchor plants on a corner of a house or garage and will work beautifully around the patio. They look wonderful planted on the edge of a woodland where they will get plenty of sunlight!
Holly is one of the most sought-after plants for its beauty as a landscape plant with winter interest. Grow several of them - You'll want to trim armloads of berry-bedecked branches each year for lavish indoor decorations and for your outdoor containers, too. Greet guests in high style!
- Both Male & Female Shrubs For Self-Pollinating Heavy Berry Production
- 2-in-1 Blue Prince & Blue Princess Hollies Grown Together
- Beautiful Ornamental Shiny Broad-Leaved Evergreen
- Classic Decorative Bright Red Holly Berries
- Birds Love Hollies for Food & Shelter
- Barrier Plants & Property Defining Hedges, Privacy & Screening
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Blue Hollies love moist, well-drained soil. Plant in full sun or partial shade and give your plants a moderate amount of regular water. It's best to water the soil, not the foliage. Provide a layer of mulch over the root system to keep the soil cool and moist. They love a sunny or partially shaded location. Add moisture as needed to keep the plants stress-free for the very best performance.
If you suspect poor drainage, mound up additional soil to 18" - 24" above grade and plant directly in that mound. You can also plant in a raised bed to improve drainage.
Blue Holly doesn't require special care but adapts well to yearly pruning. Wearing gloves to protect your hands, lightly prune your plants in the fall by cutting long branches for your pots and urns for winter decoration. You will love enjoying the beautiful foliage and berries.
Reach beneath the canopy and trim a long branch with bright red berries on it. Aim to select branches that are crossing. Your goals are three-fold: 1. gather the berries 2. increase air circulation into the interior of the shrub and 3. increase sunlight penetration into the center of your shrub. If the plants need more pruning for shape or size control, it can be done in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. For the most attractive result, please stagger the depth of your pruning cuts, and do not use electric trimmers. It's worth the time to hand prune these beautiful plants.
- Full Sun & Partial Shade
- Moderate Moisture Needs
- Needs Very Good Drainage
- Prune When Dormant
- Deer Seldom Bother This Plant
Everyone should have one of these historic and beautiful specimens in their yard! How proud you will be to show off your healthy Royal Family Holly Combo with its rich, year-round, blue-green evergreen color and red berries in fall and winter. Order today at NatureHills.com!