Ornamental Trees

Cultivated holly varieties will often be marketed with their gender equivalent tree. By their nature, cultivated varieties (cultivars) are genetically distinct plants selected for a particular trait or combination of reliable characteristics. This means that while the female and male plants may share a common genetic heritage (i.e. the same parent trees), each plant is distinctly and fundamentally different from one another. Pollination is not dependent on having the marketed counterpart, and any male that flowers at roughly the same time as the female holly will act as a berry pollinator with few exceptions. The Nellie R. Stevens & Edward J. Stevens hollies are an excellent example of this concept. The Edward J. Stevens holly is often marketed as the male companion cultivar to the Nellie R. Stevens holly; however, the two plants are distinct cultivars – i.e. the Edward J. Stevens is not simply a male clone of the female Nellie R. Stevens. Like many male companion cultivars, the Edward J. Stevens was simply found among the same planted seedlings as its female counterpart. Examples of this practice are numerous, and put simply, the practice is amusing. Some other notable pairs are Jersey Princess & Jersey Knight, Emily Bruner & James Swan, Blue Princess & Blue Prince, and Blue Maid & Blue Stallion. It is important to note, not all male/female names can be taken at face value. Sometimes male and female nomenclature is deceptive. A good example of this is the variegated Highclere holly cultivars Golden King & Golden Queen. With this pair, the Golden King is actually the female cultivar.