Ilex 'Sky Pencil' (3 Gallon)

Sky Pencil Ilex (3 Gallon)

Tall, Graceful, and Ever-Green — A Southern Staple with Timeless Style

At Wright’s Market, we love a plant that brings beauty and purpose to the garden—something dependable, graceful, and grounded in tradition. The Sky Pencil Ilex fits that bill perfectly. With its naturally narrow, upright habit, this unique Japanese holly adds vertical elegance to walkways, entry gardens, and landscapes that call for structure with Southern charm.

🌿 A Classic with a Twist

A native of Japan and Korea, the Sky Pencil Ilex (Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’) was introduced to American gardens for its distinctive, columnar shape—like a well-placed exclamation point in your landscape design. Unlike traditional hollies, it has soft, spineless foliage, making it a gentle and refined choice for family gardens, courtyards, or even formal topiary arrangements.

🌞 Where It Grows Best

This handsome evergreen shrub thrives in zones 6 through 9, making it a reliable favorite across the South. It prefers full sun to partial shade, and grows best in moist, well-drained soil. It’s a low-maintenance choice that brings year-round interest and an architectural touch to porches, patios, and foundations—whether you plant it in the ground or feature it in a favorite urn.

📏 Tall, Slim & Always Neat

Reaching 6 to 8 feet tall and only 2 to 3 feet wide, Sky Pencil is ideal for tight spaces or vertical accents. Line your front walk for a stately entrance, frame a garden gate, or use a pair on either side of the front porch for a touch of classic Southern symmetry. Its slow growth and upright shape make it easy to manage and naturally tidy.

🌼 Care Made Simple

• Water regularly the first season while roots are establishing; once settled, it's moderately drought-tolerant.

• Prune lightly in early spring or late fall to maintain shape, though most seasons it needs very little trimming.

• Apply mulch around the base to help retain moisture and protect roots.

• Feed once a year in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer.

Why We Love It:
Sky Pencil Ilex brings order and elegance to the garden—just like the pillars of a wraparound porch or the rhythm of a white picket fence. It’s strong, steady, and always composed, making it a quiet but essential part of any landscape. Whether you’re creating a formal look or adding a subtle vertical touch to your family garden, this evergreen stands tall with grace and purpose.

Plant Sky Pencil Ilex for year-round beauty that’s tailored, timeless, and rooted in tradition.