Product Description
The Japanese Sky Pencil Holly shrub quite literally makes an exclamation mark in your landscape! Introduced in 1992 by the National Arboretum in Washington, DC.
The ilex Sky Pencil Japanese Holly features a narrow, columnar form, making it an ideal choice for garden design, small areas or specimen plants. Its dark green foliage holds its color year round, and the shrub produces showy purple berries in the fall on female plants. Also produces dainty creamy white flowers in early spring.
The Japanese pencil holly trees grow great for use as a vertical accent plant, near entryways or as a privacy screen or narrow hedge. You can also plant it in a large container for an elegant, formal appearance. The pencil shrub maintains its columnar shape and growth habit without any pruning.
How to Plant Sky Pencil Holly Plants
This holly ilex crenata sky pencil, as it is named botanically, prefers slightly acidic soils that are well drained soil types. Plant will grow best in full sun to partial shade needed to keep the green colored leaves. Grow this plant across the United States in department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 5-9.
Be sure to water well the first year of planting to establish a strong root system. A newly planted holly bush needs at least a gallon of water a week. Sky Pencil plant is a female cultivar which needs a male to cross pollinate in order to produce berries.
This evergreen shrub is a slow to moderate grower. The Japanese Sky Pencil holly growth rate is up to 6-12 inches per year. Because of the vertical nature of this hedge plant, it only gets 2-3 feet wide but can be pruned narrower if preferred. It can reach a mature height of 8-10 feet tall at maturity. Pruning techniques include keeping the sky pencil tree to desired size and shape.
Japanese Sky Pencil Holly Care
Sky Pencil Holly problems that may arise are root rot, green leaves turning brown or black, web blight, or leaf spot with yellow spots. Applying a slow release fertilizer once a year to the top of the root ball will help greatly with these problems as well as fungal diseases. Good drainage is essential to help with root rot and mulching will help to retain moisture.
We highly recommend keeping soil moist the first year of planting to establish the plant.
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 other Holly Shrubs.
Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil'
- Evergreen
- Columnar shape
- Vertical interest
- Low maintenance
Growing our own plants and trees helps to ensure we ship you the best quality plants that are free of pests and diseases.
Heather Heansley –
I received my trees within a week and very well packaged. The trees were extremely in great shape and better than I had expected. I’m extremely happy with my trees And I’m so pleased with how everything was package so securely and the trees were in perfect shape. I’m certainly going to buy more plants in the spring from this company!,! Now..I just hope these little trees will hold up through our winter for I live in northern Illinois. Wish me luck! Oh. And a fantastic price…these trees were in better shape than any nursery close to me!!
Raymond Schmarge –
2nd order—all great plants—thank you
Tom Malone –
I bought the 4-5ft for containers around my pool. Very pleased with my order as they came very well packaged. First time online plant shopper but will buy from Perfect Plants again.
Linda Manuel (verified owner) –
After having an impossible time trying to find a Japanese Sky Pencil over 3 ft tall, on May 19th I ordered a Japanese Sky Pencil from My Perfect Plants. I specified that The tree had to be between 4 and 5 feet tall or I did not want it. Elisa guaranteed me that it would meet my specifications. Six days later my plant arrived and I was more than pleased with my purchase. I can not thank Elisa and the team at the nursery for delivering exactly what they promised. I highly recommend My Perfect Plants and will recommend to friends.
JJ –
The ‘upside down tested’ packaging from PP works very well! Our plants arrived in-tact and on-time!The holly was well taken care of and properly rooted. The plant took well in our local soil.
Clay Mathile –
A note was included in my box letting me know that they will send a free packet of fertilizer if you leave a review.
Here is my review: We ordered 12 of these and they came packed two per box. The shipping method was very thought out, as each tree had a bamboo stake and string to help hold it in place. Someone took time to make sure these trees shipped properly. You won’t be disappointed buying from this online nursery.
Greg V –
Ordered two 2′-3′ plants and very happy. They arrived on time, well packaged and in excellent condition. Height exactly as advertised.
Mary H. –
This was my first purchase of a plant via online shopping. The plants were in top-notch condition – super healthy looking. Packed extremely well. The ball of the plant was in a plastic planter, but then covered with thick plastic ( I assume to keep the root ball from drying out. I’m very happy. Also came with a fertlizer particular to the plant I bought – a sky pencil holly.
Gayle Larson (verified owner) –
I received my Sky Pencil Holly in perfect condition. I was having problems finding a Pencil Holly for sale that was fairly large and wasn’t extremely expensive. When I found it on myperfectplants.com, I engaged in a chat with them as to what the “real” size was. To my amazement and delight, the shrub I received was exactly as described: 4-5 feet tall from the TOP of the container to the top of the plant (not measured from the bottom of the container, which is how most suppliers measure). And, the plant is perfect. It is very refreshing to find an online supplier that is honest and keeps their word. I will definitely purchase more plants from Perfect Plants.
Perfect Plants (store manager) –
Gayle,
We are so happy you are pleased with your new Sky Pencil Holly. Happy planting!
Ruth (verified owner) –
I love the plants but one of them died while the rest are still doing okay.
Perfect Plants (store manager) –
Hi Ruth, thank you for your honest review on the sky pencil holly. We are sorry your experience was not what you were hoping. If it is in the 30 day warranty period we would be happy to send you a new plant. If it was after the 30 day window and you did not purchase the year warranty we can offer you a nice discount and troubleshoot how to make it right! Please shoot us an email!