This strong architectural Holly will make you want to stick to the straight and narrow! The First Editions® Straight & Narrow® Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata 'PIIIC-I' PP29,578) retains its remarkable shape without any pruning or maintenance! The Straight & Narrow® Japanese Holly won't let your winter go gray. This broad-leaf evergreen will look stunning from fall to winter and back, again. This shrub is prized for its shape and strength. While other columnar Hollies will drop their branches and begin to need maintenance after a storm or as they age, this one does not! It has been tested for years to confirm that its upright branches won't sag or droop. Imagine all the time you'll save not pruning this naturally tidy plant! This male Japanese Holly is mess-free but does have little white blossoms that pollinators adore! This attractive shrub features small true-green glossy leaves. They are richly hued and flat for a tidy appearance. Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 6 to 8 and can reach a 6-8 foot height while only growing 2-3 feet wide at maturity! Planting and Application: This strong and versatile columnar will become your first choice for architectural hedging or accent height. This shrub is perfect for screening, and marking the edge of your property line. One on each side of your front door will make for a grand statement. Do you want to create a privacy screen around your pool deck? The Straight & Narrow®Japanese Holly is happy to do that! Do you want a hedge that will look like you pay someone to trim it perfectly while you never have to lift a finger? The Straight & Narrow® Japanese Holly will do that, too! Perfect for those tight spaces where you want a backdrop planting, or some screening along the narrow sideyard, this slender shrub is perfect for lining a pathway or along your driveway too! Want a vertical thriller for year-round beauty in a large pot or planter or as a handsome container specimen? You need a Straight & Narrow®! This plant's upright and narrow shape makes it ideal for those narrow areas that need visual interest - even if those areas are on a porch, balcony, or patio! Upright, Columnar Shape Provides Winter Interest Broad-Leaf Evergreen Japanese Holly Tiny White Blossoms for Pollinators Mess-Free Male Holly Versatile Hedge, Specimen, Container Focal Point or Vertical Accent #ProPlantTips for Care: This ornamental broad-leaf evergreen shrub grows best in well-drained soil that is not too wet or too dry. It does best in full sun. This variety is a fruitless male, but it is grown for its small glossy foliage and excellent columnar form. Prune your Japanese Holly in late winter or early spring unless you are using them to pollinate female Ilex crenata, therefore wait until after flowering to trim up your shrubs. However, this tidy plant will rarely need any maintenance. Full Sun Moderate Moisture Needs Well-Drained Soil Appreciates Mulched Beds Prune If Needed In Late Winter/Early Spring With a First Editions® Straight & Narrow® Japanese Holly, your neighbors will wonder where you find the time to keep your hedge so neat and tidy! This straight and narrow shrub will keep your secret and so will we. So, order yours today at Nature Hills and show off your landscaping artistry.