Wholesale Growers to the Trade and Retail Sales to the Public
We Love Hollies
Heartwood has over 50 Holly species available for wholesale and retail,including native and select non-native Hollies. Learn more about our Holly propagation.
Heartwood native Hollies are straight species. Unlike a cultivar, they haven’t been genetically manipulated to change their appearance. At Heartwood, when you see a native Holly with a tag that has a name in quotes, this means the plant is a selection from a naturally occurring population. The name often reflects a noteworthy characteristic about that selection.
Our Nationally Certified Holly Arboretum
Our beautiful grove of over 300 mature Holly trees is an official Holly Society of America Certified Arboretum and Test Center, meeting high standards in plant longevity, educational labeling, and research for hardiness. Heartwood is one of only 14 Holly arboretums to share this distinction, along with the U.S. National Arboretum, Longwood Gardens, and other institutions.
We offer tours of our Holly arboretum throughout the year, as our schedule allows. You can also request a private tour for your group. For more information, see Events.
Hollies are one of the most unique, diverse groups of plants in nature. As a single focal-point specimen, a formal hedge, or an informal mass planting, Hollies beautify every garden or landscape.
All Hollies, and especially our native Hollies—inkberry (Ilex glabra), American Holly (Ilex opaca), and winterberry (Ilex verticillata)—provide nutrition and shelter for dozens of bird species.
Cormorant Garamond is a classic font with a modern twist. It's easy to read on screens of every shape and size, and perfect for long blocks of text.
While most Holly species are evergreen, there are also deciduous Hollies that lose their leaves in the fall, leaving bright drupes (berries) on bare stems, timed perfectly for the holidays.
Podcast: Tips to Grow Strong, Beautiful Hollies
Heartwood Nursery owner Sue Hunter is President of the Holly Society of America. In this 2024 podcast with Washington Gardener, Sue discusses growing Hollies in the Mid-Atlantic region, including care, pollination, planting, and new selections for wholesale and retail.
