Ilex Crenata Kinme Stem

Ilex crenata 'Kinme' is a compact, slow-growing Japanese holly prized for its tiny, glossy, evergreen leaves and naturally dense branching, making it ideal for precise clipping and topiary. Trained as a neat stem with a compact crown, it brings year-round structure to entrances, terraces and formal designs, and is widely used as a refined alternative to box for clipped shapes. Grow in full sun or partial shade in moist but well-drained, fertile soil that is preferably acidic; avoid alkaline or chalky conditions. Small white flowers may appear in late spring, though they are not showy.

This is a standard tree with a clear stem and a shaped crown above. The tree was grown up to this stem height and then pruned to stop the trunk growing taller. The clear stem will remain at the height you receive it at, with future growth coming from the top of the tree.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Full sun or partial shade

Rate of Growth: Slow

Soil: Moist but well-drained, fertile, preferably acidic; avoid alkaline/chalky soils

Hardiness: Fully hardy

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Plant at a Glance