Nellie R. Stevens Holly

Ilex x ‘Nellie R. Stevens’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub or Tree

Height at Maturity: 15-20′

Width at Maturity: 12-15′

Spacing: 6-8′ for solid hedge; 18’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Pyramidal

Growth Rate: Moderate, Fast

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Small

Flowering Period: May, June

Flower Type:

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Dark Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: Yes

Berry Color: Red

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, Morning Shade with Evening Sun

Water Needs: Average, Low when established

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silty

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist to Somewhat Dry

Soil pH: 5.5 – 6.5

Maintenance / Care: Low to Average

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Drought, Mildew, Heat, Clay Soil

Description

A long-time favorite of landscapers and home gardeners and one of the fastest growing and most dependable of the tall hollies, the Nellie R. Stevens Holly, often misspelled “Nellie R. Stephens,” is an evergreen tree with a broad, pyramidal growth habit and lustrous, dark blue-green leaves that are full to the ground. That said, lower branches can be removed to form a very attractive mid-size tree to 20 feet or more in height over time. Produces an abundant crop of bright red berries in fall that persist through winter and are relished by birds. A perfect choice for privacy screens.

Landscape & Garden Uses

The Nellie R. Stevens Holly can be grown as a shrub, with foliage from the ground up, or lower branches can be removed to form a very attractive and colorful evergreen tree.

Growing 15 to 20 feet in height and 10 to 15 feet wide (depending on pruning), the Nellie R. Stevens Holly is ideal for use as a specimen, in single or staggered rows to form a solid privacy hedge or screen, or to frame the corners of homes or other buildings. As this holly grows taller lower branches can be removed to form a highly attractive evergreen tree that is perfect for use as a focal point specimen in landscape border or home foundation plantings. Great for use in the ground or in large pots around swimming pools and other outdoor living spaces. The abundant crop of berries make it a welcome addition to bird and wildlife gardens. Excellent for an outdoor Christmas tree!

Suggested Spacing: 6 to 8 apart for solid privacy screens and hedges; 18 feet or more apart for space between trees

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, where this Holly is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

The Nellie R. Stevens Holly is exceptionally easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained acidic soil of average fertility and full sun to part shade. Alkaline soils result in chlorosis (yellowing of leaves) which can be corrected by the application of chelated iron and/or soil sulfur. More berries are produced in full to mostly sun however you can expect a good crop even with some shade. Four hours or more of direct sunlight per day is suggested. Minimal if an maintenance when left to grow natural. That said, many landscapers will perform an annual pruning to maintain a more formal appearance or to control size.

Important Note: Any heavy pruning after spring flowering will reduce or eliminate berry production.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for a Holly tree.

How To Plant A Holly Tree In The Ground Or In Pots

How To Prune A Holly Bush Or Tree

How To Fertilize & Water A Holly Tree

Privacy Screen Design And Planting Tips

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us

I love this little tree and it already has berries. It arrived perfectly packaged with zero damage and all the soil in place. I purchased this one for evergreen privacy as well as deer resistance. It should fit the bill. Thanks WB!———————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Beautiful trees, love the plants I receive from You. I will continue to order my plants from you.————————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I’ve ordered & planted probably 15 Nellie Stevens 3-gal Holly trees this Spring from Wilson Brothers; and I have been very pleased with their price, packaging, prompt shipping and specimens received – recommended !—————————————–Wow! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I was very pleased with the 2 hollies I ordered. Both were very large and healthy and I expect them to do well.———————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Bought 4 Nellie Stevens hollies to make a hedge under the front windows…. and they’re so big and beautiful – they’re just about hedge height already! Shiny dark green leaves, flowers blooming and red berries – I’ve never seen prettier hollies anywhere! I am SO happy with these, can’t wait to plant them out! Way to go, Wilson Bros!!!—————————————————————-Wow! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Received the 3 gallon Nelly Stevens in very good condition. The two plants I received were bigger and fuller than other holly plants I ordered from a different seller.. I am very happy with how they already had a pyramid shape.——————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Love the Holly Tree. It came carefully wrapped and fast shipping! Very pleased with buying from Wilson Bros!——————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Team Wilson Brothers,
I am so thankful that I found your company on the internet. This is the second time I have ordered and both times have been pleased beyond belief! The Camellias and Holly’s I have ordered came packaged to perfection, the plants are gorgeous and healthy, and planting instructions are great!
I will order again and again and will tell everyone that I know who is looking for 1st quality plants, to order from you. We only have the two big/box stores in our area, and they offer limited stock and often the plants are diseased.
Again, I thank you for excellent service and excellent products!!!! Kudos to you all!
You are the BEST!
Sincerely.——————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Plant arrived well packaged and in beautiful shape. It was about 1-1/2 feet in height, taller than I expected, well rounded and quite full. The leaves are dark and shiny as they are in the web sites photos. I planted it as soon as I got it, and it has been in the ground for almost 2 weeks. Doing great, We get periodic rain during the fall, so I let nature water it. I have never been disappointed with Wilson Brothers Gardens. Thank you.——————————————–Thanks so much for the photos Anna! They are beautiful! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

100% pleased with these 3 gal. holly trees. The prompt arrival, careful packaging and fresh, healthy condition of the plants spoke volumes about the quality of this nursery. I absolutely will order again, and highly recommend! Thanks so much y’all!———————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I had a Nellie R Stevens at my previous home and I wanted to be sure to have another for my new home. The one delivered was a beautiful specimen, perfectly proportioned in great condition. It really attracts the bees and I love having pollinator friendly plants as well as the classic look.——————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

When I decided to gift my son, front yard landscaping for his first home, I knew where I would buy all plants and shrubs. Wilson Brothers is the only nursery i i will order, with confidence and know I will be satisfied with what I receive. The Nellie R. Steven’s were exactly as I had hoped for–beautiful, healthy specimens! They arrived rather quickly so I went to work placing them in the yard. I received so many compliments while planting, from neighbors, mailperson, and even several strangers who just happened by the house. All compliments were how beautiful the hollies were and how nice the yard was becoming. I couldn’t have agreed more. Thank you Wilson Brothers for always delivering the best!————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope your son enjoys them for years to come! Thanks so much for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Plants were healthy. I wish they were taller but that is all they had. No problems with seller.————————The Nellie R. Stevens Holly is a pretty fast grower, so get will get big in no time. We are glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the review! Beth | WBG 🙂

This lovely holly will add privacy to a patch of emptiness in our garden. I love that this will have year round color, height and eventually berries.————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Fast shipping trees were in great shape, better than we ever imagine. Keep up the good work guys thanks!————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

So healthy, well packaged, and shipped. We are very lucky to have found this Nursery. Never doubt, and you will never be disappointed. As Good as it Gets, only Better!————————————Thanks for the great review! We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG 🙂

Wilson Bros. provided a great experience when ordering my recent plants. The holly trees I ordered arrived within 5-6 days as promised, full of red berries and extremely healthy. Great work guys and I will use you again!———————————-Hi Dennis, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Nellie R. Stevens Holly. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

Plants arrived healthy and beautiful packed very well and fast free shipping.————————WBG Reply: Hi Sean, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Nellie R. Stevens Holly. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

What a beautiful Holly specimen! I ordered Nellie Stevens from other companies previously and they were not even similar to this exquisite tree. It arrived in pristine shape, securely fastened and still moist. It had been pruned into a pyramidal form. It arrived April 1 with small white flowers present.. The birds will love this tree addition. I have now become a repeat customer with Wilson Bros. Their nursery stock is superb, healthy and packed with care. Their communications are certainly an attribute in this age of quick internet sales and no follow-up. I highly recommend this company for quality plants and trees and shrubs.——————WBG Reply: Hi Nancy, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Nellie R. Stevens Holly. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

This is my third order from Wilson Bros. In each case, the plant arrived quickly, well-packaged and healthy looking. No complaints. I won’t know until Spring how they fare in clay (amended) soil. I planted this fast-growing Holly to add more privacy and hope it grows rapidly as advertised. The tree arrived about 3′ tall. Photo attached.——————–WBG Reply: Hi Craig, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Nellie R. Stevens Holly. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! And thanks for the repeat business! We appreciate it!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens