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Wilson Holly

Ilex × altaclerensis ‘Wilsonii’

A classic, smooth-leaved holly for iconic red berries and stately evergreen structure.

$219.00

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Bay Area–Based Nursery

We specialize in plants grown and delivered in their original pots and soil.
Because of their size and weight, our plants are not suitable for long-distance shipping and are delivered locally to ensure health and quality.

While delivery is limited to our local service area, we’re happy to support garden design and plant selection remotely.

For local plant professionals, we’re always glad to connect and explore ways to support your customers.

Bring the timeless, iconic beauty of a classic English Holly to your garden with the superior adaptability of Wilson Holly. This exceptional cultivar boasts the same glossy, deep green, leathery foliage and vibrant red berries that define the holiday season, but in a more garden-friendly form. Its leaves are elegantly smooth-edged, lacking the sharp spines of its traditional cousins, making it safer for high-traffic areas. A robust and statuesque evergreen, it forms a dense, pyramidal tree perfect as a stunning specimen, a formal screen, or for creating a living legacy of seasonal cheer. In our Zone 9a climate, it rewards thoughtful placement with its majestic, year-round presence.

• Classic Holiday Silhouette: Produces the iconic glossy, deep green, leathery leaves and, with a pollinator, abundant bright red winter berries.
• Smooth, Spineless Foliage: Features leaves with smooth or barely-toothed margins, unlike the prickly English holly, making it more versatile and family-friendly.
• Large, Stately Evergreen Tree: Matures into a handsome, dense, pyramidal form, reaching 15-20 feet tall and 10-12 feet wide over time.
• Superior Drought & Deer Resistance: Once established, shows good drought tolerance for a holly and is reliably resistant to deer browsing.
• Needs Pollinator for Berries: A female variety. To produce its signature red berries, it requires a compatible male holly (e.g., Ilex aquifolium 'Prince of Wales') planted nearby.

Nursery Plant Sizes Explained

Victory Nursery · Plant Size Guide

Plant Sizes

Find the right starting size without reading a nursery textbook. Compare the common sizes, then see what is available for the plant you want.

Landscape Containers Indoor Pots Box Trees Local Delivery

Start Here

Most Popular Sizes

These four sizes cover many common residential landscape and mature-tree projects.

Outdoor Plants

Landscape Containers

Smaller sizes favor quantity and value. Larger sizes give the landscape more presence sooner.

Mulflat Groundcovers View size → 1 Gallon Small starter View size → 2 Gallon Small landscape View size → 3 Gallon Established starter View size → Popular 5 Gallon Everyday landscape View size → 7 Gallon Medium landscape View size → 10 Gallon More established View size → Most Popular 15 Gallon Strong starting presence View size → 20 Gallon Large landscape View size → 24 Gallon Large mature container View size →

Mature Trees

Box Tree Sizes

More years at the nursery. More size on delivery. Less waiting for the landscape to look established.

24" Mature Starting Size A major step up from smaller landscape containers. View 24" Box → 30" Larger Presence More scale between 24" and 36" box sizes. View 30" Box → 36" Large Specimen Substantial trees with heavier handling needs. View 36" Box → 48" Major Specimen Large-project scale with planned delivery and placement. View 48" Box →

Indoor & Decorative

Inch Pot Sizes

The inch size refers to the nursery pot, not the plant height.

4"

Indoor Starter

16"

Floor Plant

Quick Decision

Choose by Your Goal

01

More Plants

Start around 1–5 Gallon

Good for larger planting quantities when you have time for plants to fill in.

02

Faster Privacy

Compare 5–15 Gallon

A practical range for balancing coverage, handling and cost.

03

Immediate Impact

Start with 24" Box+

More established material when the landscape needs presence now.

Container size ≠ exact plant height

Height, canopy and fullness vary by species, variety, season and current nursery inventory.

Not sure which size?

Send us the plant name, quantity, ZIP code and the result you want. We can help narrow down the practical options.

Ask Victory Nursery

Plant sizes shown here are nursery container categories and planning references. Actual plant dimensions, form and availability vary by variety and current inventory.

Features:Foliage: Long-elliptic, stiff, glossy, deep green leaves with almost spineless margins.Fruit: Produces bright red berries in fall and winter only when a male pollinator is planted nearby.Habit: Evergreen shrub or small tree with a dense, compact, pyramidal to rounded habit. Reddish-brown, relatively smooth bark. Drought tolerant and deer resistant.
Mature Height: 15–20 ft
Mature Width: 10–12 ft
Growth Rate: Moderate
Light Needs: Full sun to partial shade
Key Advantages:Attractive evergreen foliage with classic holly form.Bright red berries provide winter interest (with pollinator).Drought tolerant once established.Deer resistant and low maintenance
Landscape Uses:Hedges, screens, and windbreaks.Specimen or accent tree.Mediterranean and drought-tolerant gardens.Slopes and banks for erosion control.Foundation plantings (with adequate space)

Q: What are its critical sun and water needs in the Bay Area's Zone 9a?
A: This is key for success. It prefers partial shade (especially afternoon shade) to protect against leaf scorch from our intense sun. It requires regular, deep watering, especially during dry periods, to maintain healthy foliage. It is not a "plant and forget" drought-tolerant shrub.

Q: Which male holly is recommended as a pollinator?
A: A compatible male English Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is typically recommended. Specific male cultivars like 'Prince of Wales' or 'Blue Prince' are reliable choices. Ensure the male plant flowers at the same time (spring) as your Wilson Holly.