Review and Propagation of the Holly Slope

The purpose of this project was to complete several goals that contribute to a long-term ongoing renovation of the Holly Slope section at the Morris Arboretum. The first of these goals was to perform an assessment to determine if any of the hollies on the slope are rare or unique. This goal was completed by contacting nine other major holly collections to provide lists of their plants. Following the assessment, the next goal was to propagate those hollies with the eventual intention of offering specimens to other gardens and arboreta. The results of this work will contribute directly to future goals for the slope, including determining which holly plants can be removed to reduce crowding in order to revitalize the collection and opening up some areas to interplant the hollies with live oaks (Quercus virginiana). In addition to the previously mentioned efforts, this paper will explore a brief history of hollies and provide some general information on the taxonomy and botanical description of the holly genus, Ilex. It will also look at the evolution of the holly collection at the Arboretum, particularly on the holly slope, and discuss propagating hollies from cuttings. Finally, there will be a look toward the future of being able to put the findings of this work towards making changes on the Holly Slope.