False Holly – Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’
Description
General: The ‘Goshiki’ is a small, 3-5′ rounded evergreen shrub that looks similar to a Holly, and has beautiful variegated foliage.
Leaves: New growth emerges with a pinky cream color, while older leaves have a mix of creamy white and greens.
Flowers: Small, white fragrant flowers maybe present in the fall
Fruit: Occasionally, small ovide black fruits will be present after flowering.
Attributes: The compact size and beautiful contrast in color are what make this plant special. It can be used as a hedge or as a unique accent plant in the landscape.
Culture
Hardiness: Zones 6-9
Growing Conditions: Prefers a moist, well-drained soil in a sunny to partially shady location. Protect from heavy drying winds in exposed sites.
Maintenance: Tip pruning can be done to maintain a small, tight form if desired. For the most part disease free, can be susceptible to scales and aphids.
Transplanting: Avoid digging while new growth is still soft, or in late season before the shrub is dormant.
Propagation:
Our Experience
Experience at Great Hill
We are trialing false holly here at Great Hill this year to see how it overwinters. We have it situated in an area sheltered from the wind with mostly sunny light exposure. False holly will tolerate partial shade, but may tend to become loose and leggy in dense shade.
Historical Winter Data
Winter 2017-18: This particular plant did not do well over the winter. The leaves became desiccated and dropped. We removed the plants in the Spring. While examining the plants for issues, we noticed it had not put out any roots since it was planted in the fall. We suspect it was planted too late in the season to establish and with the dry, cold winter, was dried out and died. We would recommend planting in spring to allow the plant to establish throughout the growing season. Watering properly into the fall will also give the plant the moisture it needs to make it through the winter.