Do sky pencil holly have invasive roots?

A rule of thumb is to remember that roots will usually grow as wide as the canopy width of the plant. Sky Pencils don't grow very wide, so their root systems are more extended than they are wide and are not invasive.

Sky Pencil Holly

Row of tall, green sky pencil hollies under a cloudy sky

Potted Sky Pencil Holly by a pool with trees in the background

Green sky pencil holly with a blurred wooden fence and trees in the background

Tall green sky pencil holly against a wooden fence

Well-maintained garden with various potted sky pencil hollies and flowers in front of a building.

Sky Pencil Holly care and feature video from perfect plants nursery

Row of three sky pencil hollies growing along the side of a stone and brick home

Price 60% off

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Buy direct from the grower

Family owned farm since 1980

You're good to grow this in Zone X

Sky Pencil Holly Shrubs Make a Literal Exclamation Point!

Vertical Growth & Year-Round Evergreen Foliage

The ilex Sky Pencil Japanese Holly features a narrow, columnar form, making it ideal choice for garden design, small areas, or specimen plants. Once established, it is easy to grow, drought-tolerant, and pest—and disease-resistant.

Sky Pencil Hollies feature dark green foliage year-round, and this small evergreen produces dainty creamy white flowers in early spring.

Introduced in 1992 by the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., Japanese pencil trees are great as vertical accent plants near entryways, privacy screens, or narrow hedges. For an elegant, formal appearance, you can also plant them in a large container. The green pencil shrub maintains its columnar shape and growth habit without pruning.

Sky Pencils Are Cold Hardy Evergreen Shrubs!

This Japanese holly ilex crenata sky pencil, as it is named botanically, will grow best in full sun to partial shade needed to keep the green-colored leaves. Grow this plant across the United States in the Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5-9. It is very cold hardy!

Why buy from Perfect Plants Nursery online?

When you shop for landscape trees and shrubs online make sure you are buying from an actual grower. We have been a family run farm since 1980.

As experts in growing premium evergreen shrubs, including Sky Pencil Hollies, we deliver healthy, high-quality plants directly to your door, ensuring they arrive ready to thrive.

We hope you love our Sky Pencil Holly for sale. Easy to grow, easy to maintain, and free of pests and diseases… it is the package deal!

Check out our other Holly Shrubs for sale.

The Sky Pencil Holly is a striking columnar evergreen that adds bold vertical interest to any landscape with its narrow, upright form. Its deep green foliage stays vibrant year-round, while delicate cream-colored flowers appear in early spring. Easy to grow, drought tolerant once established, and naturally pest- and disease-resistant, it’s perfect for small spaces, entryways, and elegant container plantings. With minimal pruning needed, this hardy shrub provides structure and style in any garden.

Distinctive narrow, columnar shape creates dramatic vertical accents in landscapes.
Evergreen dark green foliage provides year-round color and structure.
Produces small, creamy white spring flowers for added seasonal interest.
Thrives in full sun to partial shade and grows reliably in USDA zones 5–9.
Naturally drought tolerant, pest resistant, and disease resistant once established.
Ideal for tight spaces, entryways, privacy screens, narrow hedges, or container planting.

At Perfect Plants Nursery, we stand behind every tree, shrub, and flower we grow. Every order is protected by our 30-day plant guarantee, ensuring your plants arrive healthy and ready to thrive. For extra peace of mind, our optional 1-Year Extended Warranty covers your plants against death and disease for a full year. Unlike many online nurseries, Perfect Plants ships directly from our family-run farm, so you’re backed by growers who care about your success long after your plants leave our greenhouse. Grow with confidence knowing your investment is protected from the start.

Botanical Name

Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil'

Sunlight
Full Sun / Partial Shade

Foliage Color
Dark green

Flower Color
Greenish-white

Mature Width
2-3 ft

Mature Height
8-10 ft

Growing Zones 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Customer Reviews

4.8 Based on 58 Reviews

5 ★

88%

4 ★

3 ★

2 ★

1 ★

Customer Photos

Sky Pencil Holly - Customer Photo From Will Pons

Sky Pencil Holly - Customer Photo From Albert Peckham

Sky Pencil Holly - Customer Photo From Larry Viterna

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FAQs for Sky Pencil Holly

This evergreen shrub is a slow to moderate grower. The Japanese Sky Pencil holly growth rate is up to 6-12 inches per year.

Pruning techniques include keeping the sky pencil tree to desired size and shape. You can prune the tree narrower if preferred. The pencil shrub maintains its columnar shape and growth habit without any pruning.

It can reach a mature height of 8-10 feet tall at maturity.

The Sky Pencil Holly is deer resistant along with being pest and drought resistant.

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Sky Pencil Holly