Ilex Cone

Ilex crenata Cone – A Stylish, Evergreen Alternative to Boxwood for Structure and Year-Round Appeal

Ilex crenata, often shaped into neat cones, is a superb evergreen shrub that offers all the elegance and formality of boxwood (Buxus) but with excellent disease resistance and a fresh, fine-textured look. With its small, dark green, glossy leaves and naturally dense habit, the Ilex cone is ideal for bringing year-round structure, rhythm, and polish to borders, entrances, patios, or formal gardens. Whether used as a standalone specimen, in pairs to frame a doorway, or repeated along a path or hedge, this versatile topiary delivers lasting style with minimal care.

Why Grow Ilex Cones?

Evergreen Elegance – Provides rich, dark green foliage throughout the year, maintaining its sharp, architectural outline in all seasons.

Boxwood Alternative – Excellent resistance to common box problems such as box blight and box tree caterpillar, making it a popular and reliable alternative to Buxus.

Refined Texture & Shape – The small, delicate leaves and tight, upright habit clip beautifully into cone shapes, adding height and formality to planting schemes.

Low-Maintenance Style – Once established and shaped, the Ilex cone needs only occasional trimming to retain its neat, tailored form.

Versatile & Adaptable – Suitable for both formal and informal gardens, in containers or the ground, and tolerant of urban and coastal conditions.

Planting & Care Guide

Position: Best grown in full sun to partial shade. It tolerates a range of exposures but benefits from some shelter in very windy or exposed sites.

Soil: Prefers moist but well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Avoid very chalky or alkaline soils unless planting in containers with ericaceous compost.

Watering: Water regularly during the first year, particularly in dry weather or when planted in pots. Once established, it is relatively drought-tolerant.

Maintenance:

• Trimming: Clip lightly once or twice a year (late spring and/or late summer) to maintain its shape. It’s slower growing than Buxus, so less frequent trimming is needed.

• Feeding: Apply a balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring to encourage healthy, dense foliage.

• Mulching: Mulch annually in spring with compost or well-rotted bark to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

• Pest Care: Generally pest- and disease-resistant, but monitor for leaf spot or chlorosis in very alkaline soils.

Perfect Plant Combinations

Ilex cones pair beautifully with soft, flowering companions like Lavender, Nepeta, Heuchera, or Salvia, offering a striking contrast between formal shape and informal planting. For a more architectural look, combine with Buxus spheres, Taxus columns, or grasses like Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ or Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’. In containers, plant them with trailing ivy, violas, or seasonal bedding for an elegant, year-round display.