How to Plant Berries From a Holly Tree

The holly, or Ilex genus, of fruiting trees and shrubs can be propagated successfully by seeds collected from their red or white berries. They are, however, most often grown from rooted cuttings, since holly seeds require an unusually long germination period of two to three years before the plants can begin to grow. To achieve maturity and produce berries will then take several years more, but it can be a fun long-term project if you don't mind the wait.

Things You'll Need

• Holly berries
• Potting mix
• Small nursery pots or seedling trays
• Water

Instructions

1. Clean the berry flesh off of the seeds by crushing lightly with the back of a spoon used just for this purpose (as holly berries are poisonous if ingested).

2. Place the crushed berries in a small glass bowl with tepid water and rinse the small seeds free. Scoop up the seeds and lay them out on a paper towel to dry. Pour the water and berry flesh down the drain and sterilize the bowl before reusing for edibles.

3. Fill the nursery pots or flats with fresh, sterile potting mix and water well. Top up the soil if it settles after watering to fill in any air pockets so there is a level planting surface.

4. Push three to five holly seeds down into each pot so that they come to rest an inch or two below the surface of the soil. Cover the seed indentation with the moist soil.

5. Place the trays in a cool location, such as a cold frame or unheated greenhouse, to let the seeds germinate for up to three years. Keep the soil moist but not wet.

6. Transplant the young green shoots into larger nursery pots when they appear and thin the plants if needed.

References

• Clemson University:Holly
• Purdue University: Holly Fact Sheet