Find a plant – quick search

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.

Virtually all of the features of the old searches are still available and in addition we have added several new features to create a more comprehensive and user friendly search experience.

When using this search

  • If you enter just a plant name, you will see results from the old RHS Plant Finder and Selector databases
  • If you select any attributes with or without a plant name, you will see a much narrower selection of results taken only from the old RHS Plant Selector database. These plants will have a lot more details displayed including an image.
  • Our Botanical team are working hard to increase the number of plants with detailed information.

Search by plant name, key attributes or both to find plant details and a list of suppliers.

 
  • AGM plants

    AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

    • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
    • Available to buy
    • Of good constitution
    • Essentially stable in form & colour
    • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Need more criteria? Try an advanced search

Ilex aquifolium 'J.c. van Tol' (f)

holly 'J.C. van Tol'

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
holly 'J.C. van Tol'

© RHS 2001

51 suppliers RHS Plant Shop from £14.99

  • Other common names holly 'J.C. van Tol'

  • Synonyms Ilex aquifolium 'Polycarpa'

  • Family Aquifoliaceae

  • Genus Ilex can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs and trees with often spiny leaves, small white flowers (male and female usually on separate plants) and, on female plants, showy berries in autumn

  • Details 'J.C. van Tol' is a small evergreen tree or shrub of open habit with purple young shoots. Leaves ovate, almost spineless, glossy dark green. Flowers small, dull white; berries large and abundant, bright red

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Bushy

  • Toxicity Berries may cause mild stomach upset if ingested

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H6

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect North-facing or East-facing or South-facing or West-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered or Exposed

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Chalk

    Clay

  • Chalk

    Sand

  • Chalk

    Loam

  • MoistureWell-drained, Moist but well-drained

  • SoilChalk, Clay, Sand, Loam

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 4-8 metres

  • Ultimate spread 2.5-4 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grows best in a well-drained soil in a sunny position; also suitable for partial shade

Propagation Propagate by seed or semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types Architectural

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1

Pests Aphids, scale insects and holly leaf miner may be a problem

Diseases May be affected by holly leaf blight

Advertise here

Did you find the information you were looking for?

RHS members can get exclusive individual advice from the RHS Gardening Advice team.

Join the RHS now

RHS Plants Shop

Ilex aquifolium 'J.c. van Tol' (f)

holly 'J.C. van Tol'

Buy from £14.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £14.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Get involved

We're a UK charity established to share the best in gardening. We want to enrich everyone's life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.