Holly,Red Beauty Holly

About this plant

Elevate your landscape with the exceptional beauty of Ilex x 'Red Beauty', a superior holly cultivar that delivers year-round visual appeal. This elegant evergreen shrub boasts dense, glossy green foliage that remains rich and lustrous through every season, providing a sophisticated backdrop for your garden. In late fall and winter, 'Red Beauty' truly shines, producing an abundance of bright, cherry-red berries that cling to its branches, offering a spectacular contrast against the dark green leaves. These persistent berries provide crucial sustenance for local wildlife, while also adding festive cheer to your outdoor space, perfect for holiday decor. With its naturally refined, pyramidal growth habit, 'Red Beauty' is an ideal choice for a variety of landscaping applications, from formal hedges and foundation plantings to elegant specimen plants and privacy screens. It's a low-maintenance, high-impact choice for discerning gardeners.

Installation timing

When we're in season, outside of the winter months, our goal is to get your plants installed within about two weeks. That window gives us enough time to secure your plants from our supplier and find a spot on the schedule. Throughout the process we stay in touch through notifications and your existing client portal on the main A Cut Above website, which is separate from this landscaping plants shop.

Care & maintenance

Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade. Once established, it is relatively drought tolerant. Prune in late winter or early spring to maintain shape or size; however, 'Red Beauty' typically maintains an attractive natural form with minimal pruning. Fertilize in spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer.

Watering suggestions

Proper watering is the single most important factor in your plant's survival after installation. Newly installed plants have a limited root system and rely on you for consistent moisture while they establish.

• First 2 weeks: Water deeply every day (or every other day in cooler, wet weather), soaking the root ball and surrounding soil.
• Weeks 3–12: Water deeply 2–3 times per week, adjusting for rain, heat, and soil drainage.
• After establishment: Water deeply about once a week during the growing season, and more often in extreme heat or drought.
• How to check: Stick a finger 2–3 inches into the soil near the roots — if it's dry, it's time to water. Deep, less-frequent watering encourages strong roots; shallow daily sprinkles do not.
• Avoid: Overwatering (soggy, waterlogged soil) is just as harmful as underwatering and can drown roots.

Watering needs vary by plant, season, soil, and exposure. Because proper watering is the customer's responsibility after installation, please make sure you understand and can follow these suggestions before ordering.

Good to know: plants and trees purchased from and installed by A Cut Above include a one-year limited warranty from the date of installation. Because plant survival depends heavily on proper watering and care after installation, losses caused by improper care, neglect, animal or chemical damage, or extreme weather are not covered, and we must be given the chance to inspect a struggling plant before it's removed or replaced. Coverage is one replacement per plant. Read our warranty info.