'Cherry Ice'

Ilex purpurea 'Cherry Ice' is an evergreen tree with shiny green leaves, small purple flowers and red fruit.  Ilex purpurea 'Cherry Ice' has a fairly long story behind it (I'll give just a brief summery) - first time I saw it was in the late 1980's at the US National Arboretum - it was one of maybe 10-15 other Ilex purpurea that had been planted out many years before then.  The winter of 1986 killed all the other trees to the ground (they were big - maybe 12-18" diameter trees) and only 1 survived and it also just happened to be dwarf (relativily speaking - it still gets large, but MUCH smaller than the species).  I obtained cuttings and grew a 2-3 plants that are now growing in gardens in the Raleigh area.  We have been observing the trees for years, and it is truly outstanding!  It has now been named 'Cherry Ice' and is available in very limited quantities due to its extreme diffiultly in propagation.  We only have 3 plants available this year.  

Ilex purpurea 'Cherry Ice' is a medium sized tree (30'+) with spectacular shiny green leaves, and blooms in late spring with PURPLE flowers (most Ilex have white flowers) and is very effective as a flowering tree!  Later in the year and into the winter, 'Cherry Ice' produces oblong, fairly large fruits, on  long peduncles) and is very showy.  This is one of the very best tree type Ilex I've seen to date and hopefully we can overcome the propagtion difficulties so that many more people can have the opportunity to grow this outstanding plant!

• HARDINESS:  zones 7-9
• EXPOSURE:  sun
• SIZE:   30'+ x 30'+
• SHIPPING SIZE:  1/2 gallon pot.  12"+ plant.