Holly Bushes Planted in Syracuse, NY

Question

Three years ago we bought a male and female holly bush. They were beautiful the first 2 years – female with red berries, male had little white flowers and nice green leaves. This year, though, the male bush is growing and is in great shape. However, the female bush is just about dead. Our question is do we really have to have a female bush for the male one continues to grow, or is it just that we cannot grow a female without the male? Living in Syracuse, NY can produce all kinds of strange weather, winter cold and lots of snow or, as this year, a real mild one.

Answer 1

You do not need one of each so much to grow them but in order to get the berries. If you would like berries on your female holly plants, then you must have a male nearby. However, if you simply want to grow holly and are not concerned about the berries, you can either grow one female or one male.