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Nellie Stevens Holly

$6995 $13995
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Your Plants are Guaranteed to Grow

Your plants are guaranteed to arrive happy & healthy with our 1 Year Warranty. Your order will arrive healthy and stay healthy while they adapt to your climate. If your tree arrives damaged or dies within 30 days, we'll replace it for free. If it dies after 30 days, but before 1 year, we will replace it for just 50% of the current price.

Free Shipping on All Orders

Relax... we've got you covered with free shipping on every order! We ship out so many huge plants, we've negotiated a low rate with our carriers... and we pass those savings on to you! Your plants will ship out the next business day... expertly packed so that your plants will arrive happy and healthy!

Is Now a Good Time to Plant?

Yes! Fall is one of the best times to plant!

Landscaping experts often recommend planting in fall instead of waiting until spring. Here’s why:

  • Cooler weather puts less stress on newly planted trees and shrubs.
  • Fall soil is still warm, which helps roots grow and get established.
  • Cooler temperatures mean less water is lost through the leaves, making it easier for plants to stay hydrated.
  • Even after top growth slows for winter, roots continue developing below ground.
  • Fall weather often brings more rain and less heat, making new plants easier to care for.
  • By spring, your plants already have a head start. Their established roots can support strong new leaves, branches, and flowers.
  • Trees planted in spring must establish their roots while also dealing with rising temperatures and summer heat.

Plant this fall, and your trees can spend the cooler months getting settled instead of waiting until spring to get started!

Planting your Nellie Stevens Holly

Nellie Stevens Holly Planting Instructions:

  1. Site Selection & Soil Preparation: Choose a location that receives full sun to partial shade. Nellie Stevens Holly prefers full sun for the best growth and berry production but can tolerate some shade. The tree adapts to a range of soil types, but it thrives in well-draining, slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.5. Dig a hole slightly shallower than the root ball and twice as wide. Mound the soil in the bottom of the hole so that the root ball sits about 1-2 inches above ground level to help with drainage and prevent water from pooling around the roots.
  2. Spacing & Mulching: If planting for privacy, space trees 5-6 feet apart for a dense hedge. For individual trees, allow 12-15 feet between them for their mature spread. After planting, apply a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch around the base of the tree, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot. Mulching helps retain moisture, regulates soil temperature, and discourages weeds.
  3. Watering: Water thoroughly after planting to help settle the soil. During the first growing season, water deeply once or twice a week, especially during dry periods. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. Good soil drainage is essential to prevent root rot.

Nellie Stevens Holly Care Instructions:

  1. Watering During Establishment: For the first year, maintain consistent watering to help the tree establish strong roots. Water deeply once a week, more frequently during hot, dry spells. After the first year, Nellie Stevens Holly becomes more drought-tolerant but still benefits from occasional watering during extended dry periods.
  2. Fertilization: Feed your Nellie Stevens Holly in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, to promote healthy growth and berry production. Fertilize again in mid-summer if needed. Avoid over-fertilizing, as too much nitrogen can lead to excessive foliage growth at the expense of berries.
  3. Pest and Disease Monitoring: Nellie Stevens Holly is relatively pest-resistant, but it can occasionally attract scale, spider mites, or leaf spot. Regularly check the leaves for any signs of pests or discoloration. If necessary, treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Ensuring good air circulation and avoiding overwatering will help prevent most fungal issues.

Maintenance and Long-Term Care:

  1. Pruning: Nellie Stevens Holly benefits from light pruning to maintain its shape and size. Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Focus on removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches to improve air circulation. This holly can be shaped into a hedge, tree form, or kept as a natural, pyramid shape. If grown as a hedge, trim 2-3 times a year for a formal look, especially in spring and late summer.
  2. Watering and Drought Tolerance: Once established, Nellie Stevens Holly is moderately drought-tolerant but will perform best with occasional deep watering, especially during hot, dry summers. Make sure to water during dry periods in late fall to help the tree through the winter.
  3. Winter Care: Nellie Stevens Holly is hardy in USDA zones 6-9 and can tolerate cold winters. While it’s evergreen, cold winds can sometimes dry out its foliage, causing leaf burn. To prevent this, apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the tree in late fall and consider wrapping young plants in burlap in exposed locations.
  4. Berry Production: For the best berry production, plant at least one male holly (such as a 'Southern Gentleman' Holly) nearby. Although Nellie Stevens Holly is partially self-pollinating, having a male holly within 30-50 feet will increase the yield of red berries in the fall and winter, which attract birds and add ornamental value to your landscape.

By following these care tips, your Nellie Stevens Holly will grow into a lush, attractive landscape feature, providing year-round greenery and vibrant red berries!

What Customers say about the Nellie Stevens Holly:

The Nellie Stevens Holly thrives in Zones 6-9

Growing Zones for the Nellie Stevens Holly

If you live in the green area above, we recommend the Nellie Stevens Holly.

Your Growing Zone
Recommended Zones 6-9
Mature Height 15-25 ft.
Mature Width 6-10 ft.
Cannot Ship To AZ, OR
Sunlight Full to Partial Sun
Botanical Name Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens'

Plants that Make a Difference

For 20+ years, our team has shipped healthy, established plants to gardeners like you- all across the country. Every plant is selected and cared for by our plant experts before it ships to your door.

  • 20+ Years Experience

  • Superior Quality

  • Free Shipping on All Orders

  • Guaranteed to Grow

Pruned Nellie Stevens Holly trees in a well-maintained residential landscape with a house and lawn.

Beware- not all Nellie Stevens Hollies are the same.

Be sure to get superior evergreens, grown by experts.

Better Roots Make Stronger Plants: Some nurseries send you "bare root" evergreens to save on shipping. Even worse, others have started digging them right out of the ground before shipping. This causes major transplant shock and long-term damage. We send you Nellie Stevens Hollies in soil-filled containers- ensuring a well-developed root system that will explode with growth!

Healthy Plants: We've seen other nurseries grow tall evergreens in tiny pots to save on shipping. This leads to a "root bound" tree, where the roots have outgrown their pot- they cannot absorb water and nutrients. They quickly dry out during shipment, leading to an unhealthy tree.

A row of Nellie Stevens Holly trees with lush green leaves, planted along a pathway with mulch at the base.

The Nellie Stevens Holly is one of the best evergreens for privacy- fast, dense and dressed in bright red berries all winter.

  • Fast-growing: can grow up to 2-3 ft. per year once established
  • Easy privacy hedge: plant 5-6 ft. apart for a solid evergreen screen
  • Glossy, deep green leaves plus bright red berries from fall through winter
  • Natural pyramid shape reaching 15-25 ft. tall, hardy in zones 6-9

Not all plants are created equal

The Difference Is in the Roots

Every plant we ship has grown in a nursery container with its roots protected, so it arrives healthy, established and ready to thrive in your yard.

A full, branched Nationwide Plants tree in a nursery pot next to a thin bare-root tree with exposed roots Ours: container grown Theirs: bare root
Nationwide Plants Other Nurseries
How it's grown Grown in a nursery container, roots protected the whole time Pulled or dug from the field, tearing fragile roots
How it arrives Arrives in its pot with soil intact Arrives bare root, exposed and drying out
Before shipping Growing naturally until it ships Held dormant in a cooler, then shocked by a hot shipping box
Root health Strong, well-developed roots with room to grow Crammed into a small pot until it's root bound
Height Measured from the top of the soil Often includes the pot and roots
After planting Settles in quickly with less transplant shock Arrives stressed and can take years to recover, if it does

The height you see is the height you plant.

We measure every plant from the top of the soil, not the bottom of the pot. Many nurseries include the pot and roots, so a "5–6 ft." tree from them might stand only 4 ft. tall once it's planted.

Comparisons reflect common practices across the online plant industry, not any single company.

Close-up of Nellie Stevens Holly leaves with small, round red berries.

Honest Measurements: Some nurseries measure plants including the pot and roots, so the plant you receive is much smaller than you expected. We measure all of our plants from the soil line, so the height you see is what you can expect after planting.

From our nursery to your door

How We Ship Your Plants

Every order is hand-selected, watered and carefully packed so it arrives healthy and ready to plant. Here's what happens after you place your order.

  1. Hand-Picked for You

    Our team selects the best plant available for your order. For privacy trees, that's the tallest and fullest. For fruit trees, it's the best branched.

    Why it matters: Many online nurseries ship whatever is next in the row.

  2. A Deep Drink Before the Trip

    Every plant gets a thorough watering right before it's packed, so it starts the journey fully hydrated.

  3. Roots Sealed In

    We wrap the pot and roots in plastic to lock in moisture, so your plant has water to drink all the way to your door.

    Why it matters: Bare-root plants are often shipped with their roots exposed and drying out.

  4. Braced for the Ride

    Cardboard inserts are secured inside every box to hold your plant in place, so it won't slide, tip or get damaged in transit.

  5. Shipped Only by FedEx

    We ship your trees exclusively with FedEx. We've found they deliver the fastest and handle live plants the most gently.

And if anything goes wrong, every plant is backed by our 1 Year Warranty.

Healthy Roots Make a Huge Difference

  • Never buy bare-root plants. These trees are starved of nutrients, and have a low survival rate.
  • Beware of nurseries cut corners by growing in small pots. These "rootbound" plants are weak, struggle to absorb nutrients, and die quickly after planting.
  • Some nurseries try to sell oversized plants, but chop off vital roots so they can cram the rootball into a narrow box to save on shipping!
A large grouping of Nellie Stevens Holly trees forming a dense hedge near a grassy field under a blue sky.

You Want Nellie Stevens Hollies Grown by Experts

Some nurseries ship tall but skinny hollies that were grown in tiny pots to save money. These "root bound" trees struggle after planting and take much longer to fill in your privacy screen.

Nationwide Plants only sends you strong Nellie Stevens Hollies, selected and cared for by our plant experts, with healthy, developed root systems. That means they settle in quickly and start building your dense evergreen screen sooner.

How many Nellie Stevens Holly do I need?

Plan your privacy screen in three quick steps.

2What look do you want?
3How far apart will you plant them?

Enter your length to see how many trees you need.

Read more about the Nellie Stevens Holly

The Perfect Evergreen Holly for Privacy, Beauty, and Easy Landscaping

The Nellie Stevens Holly is a versatile, fast-growing evergreen known for its dense foliage, vibrant red berries, and natural pyramid shape. As one of the best privacy hedges available, this holly shrub provides year-round greenery and can quickly create a lush, living privacy screen. With its deep green leaves, striking red winter berries, and low-maintenance care requirements, the Nellie Stevens Holly is an excellent choice for homeowners looking to enhance their landscape’s beauty while adding functionality. Whether used as a hedge, border plant, or ornamental accent, this hardy shrub delivers stunning results with minimal effort.

Key Features:

  • Fast-Growing Privacy Hedge: Grows up to 2-3 feet per year, quickly filling in to create a dense, natural privacy screen.
  • Year-Round Color: Glossy, deep green leaves provide evergreen beauty all year, while bright red berries appear in fall and last through winter.
  • Cold Hardy: Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9, making it perfect for a wide range of climates.
  • Low Maintenance: Requires minimal pruning and care, making it an easy option for busy homeowners.
  • Pest and Disease Resistant: Naturally resistant to common pests and diseases, ensuring healthy growth with little intervention.

Ideal for Privacy Screens and Ornamental Landscaping

The Nellie Stevens Holly can be used as a tree or shrub, and is one of the best choices for creating a thick, green privacy screen. Its fast-growing nature and dense foliage mean you can enjoy the benefits of a natural hedge in just a few seasons, blocking unwanted views, noise, or wind. In addition to its practical use as a privacy hedge, Nellie Stevens Holly is also a standout in ornamental landscaping. Its glossy, dark green leaves contrast beautifully with its vibrant red berries in the fall and winter, adding color and interest when most other plants have gone dormant.

This shrub’s pyramidal shape and height (growing 15-25 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide) make it perfect for lining property edges, driveways, or creating focal points in your landscape design. It can also be pruned and shaped to suit your aesthetic preferences, whether you prefer a formal, manicured look or a more natural appearance.

Easy to Grow and Care For

The Nellie Stevens Holly Shrub is not only beautiful but also incredibly easy to grow and care for. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and is adaptable to a variety of soil types, making it suitable for most landscapes. Once established, this shrub is relatively drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance beyond occasional watering and pruning to maintain its shape. Thanks to its natural pest and disease resistance, it stays healthy with minimal effort, making it a top choice for both beginner and experienced gardeners alike.

Growing Tips:

  • Sunlight: Thrives in full sun to partial shade, though full sun promotes the best berry production.
  • Watering: Water regularly during the first growing season to help roots establish. Once mature, it’s drought-tolerant and requires less frequent watering.
  • Soil: Adapts to a range of soil types but prefers well-draining soil for optimal growth.
  • Fertilizer: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring to encourage vigorous growth.
  • Pruning: Light pruning in early spring or fall helps maintain its desired shape and size.

Beautiful Red Berries for Year-Round Interest

One of the standout features of the Nellie Stevens Holly Tree is its vibrant red berries, which appear in the fall and last through winter. These berries not only add a pop of color to your winter landscape but also attract birds, making your yard a haven for wildlife during the colder months. The contrast between the bright red berries and the shrub’s deep green leaves creates a stunning display that brightens your yard when most other plants have lost their leaves.

Why Buy from Nationwide Plants?

At Nationwide Plants, we take pride in offering high-quality, healthy plants that are ready to thrive in your landscape. Our Nellie Stevens Hollies are expertly grown and shipped fresh to ensure they establish quickly and provide fast-growing beauty and privacy. With our fast shipping and detailed planting instructions, you can plant with confidence and enjoy the benefits of this exceptional evergreen shrub in no time.

Create a Lush, Private Oasis with the Nellie Stevens Holly Shrub

The Nellie Stevens Holly is the perfect solution for homeowners looking to create a beautiful, low-maintenance privacy screen or add year-round color and texture to their landscape. Whether you're lining your property, creating a focal point, or adding vibrant winter interest, this fast-growing shrub will exceed your expectations with its hardiness and beauty.

Order your Nellie Stevens Holly today and discover this low-maintenance evergreen. Ideal for privacy hedges or landscape accents. Fast and Free Shipping, Year-Round Beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Nellie Stevens Holly

How fast does Nellie Stevens Holly grow?

Nellie Stevens Holly is a fast-growing evergreen that can grow up to 2 to 3 feet per year once established. That quick growth lets a new row fill in to form a dense privacy screen within just a few seasons. Regular watering in the first year and a spring feeding help maximize growth.

How far apart should I plant Nellie Stevens Holly for privacy?

For a privacy hedge, plant Nellie Stevens Holly about 5 to 6 feet apart. That spacing lets the dense evergreen foliage grow together into a solid screen. For individual trees or specimen plantings, allow 12 to 15 feet between plants so each can develop its natural pyramid shape.

How tall does Nellie Stevens Holly get?

Nellie Stevens Holly typically grows 15 to 25 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, forming a natural pyramid shape. It can be kept as a tall hedge, grown as a small tree, or pruned into a more formal shape, making it versatile for property lines, driveways, and focal points.

Does Nellie Stevens Holly need a male holly to produce berries?

Nellie Stevens Holly is partially self-pollinating and can produce red berries on its own. For the heaviest berry display, plant a male holly such as Southern Gentleman within 30 to 50 feet. The bright red berries appear in fall and last through winter, and they attract birds.

What zones does Nellie Stevens Holly grow in?

Nellie Stevens Holly grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 9. It handles cold winters well, though exposed plants can get leaf burn from cold, drying winds. Mulch heavily in late fall and wrap young plants in burlap in windy spots, and water during dry late-fall periods.

Does Nellie Stevens Holly grow in shade?

Nellie Stevens Holly grows in full sun to partial shade. Full sun produces the densest growth and best berry production, but it tolerates some shade well. In heavier shade, expect a more open shape and fewer berries, so plant hedges where they get at least a half day of sun.

When should I prune Nellie Stevens Holly?

Prune Nellie Stevens Holly in late winter or early spring before new growth begins, removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches. It can be left in its natural pyramid shape or sheared. For a formal hedge, trim 2 to 3 times a year, especially in spring and late summer.

What soil does Nellie Stevens Holly need?

Nellie Stevens Holly adapts to many soil types but thrives in well-draining, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. Plant the root ball 1 to 2 inches above ground level to prevent water from pooling, and apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch to hold moisture.

How often should I water a new Nellie Stevens Holly?

Water a new Nellie Stevens Holly deeply once or twice a week during its first growing season, keeping the soil moist but not soggy. After the first year it becomes fairly drought tolerant, but occasional deep watering during hot, dry summers and dry late-fall periods keeps it looking its best.

Are Nellie Stevens Holly berries poisonous to pets?

Yes, holly berries and leaves are toxic to dogs and cats and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and drooling if eaten. The spiny leaves usually discourage chewing, but fallen berries can tempt curious pets. Plant it away from pet play areas and call your veterinarian if you suspect ingestion.
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