| Ilex rugosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cruciform flowers are inconspicuous. | |
 | |
| Fruit are large for a holly. [1] | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Aquifoliales |
| Family: | Aquifoliaceae |
| Genus: | Ilex |
| Species: | I. rugosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Ilex rugosa | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Ilex rugosa, the tsuru holly, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aquifoliaceae, native to southern Khabarovsk Krai, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands in Russia, and to eight mountain summits in Japan. [2] [1] It is usually quite prostrate (growing ever lower with increasing altitude) and does well in areas with protective winter snow cover to prevent damage from late frosts. [1]
Because of its cold-hardiness, Kathleen Meserve crossed it with Ilex aquifolium (common holly) and produced hybrids dubbed the "blue hollies" and later given the scientific name Ilex × meserveae. [3] Two of these hybrid shrubs, sold as clones, have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [3] 'Conapri' (trade name Blue Princess) is female. [4] 'Conablu' (trade name Blue Prince) is male and grows a bit taller than 'Conapri', perhaps 2 m (7 ft) at maturity. [5] [3]
