Hecken Star

Holly

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Blue Prince and 'Hachfee'

Summary: 'Hecken Star' has an upright growth habit while in 'Blue Prince' it is bushy rounded. The plant height of 'Hecken Star' is taller than 'Blue Prince'. 'Hecken Star' is a narrower plant than 'Blue Prince' and 'Hachfee'. The degree of anthocyanin colouration of the stem of 'Hecken Star' is weaker than in 'Blue Prince' but stronger than 'Hachfee'. 'Hecken Star' has a light green with red-brown coloured stem while in 'Blue Prince' it is red-brown to purple-red in colour. The stem internode length of 'Hecken Star' is shorter than in 'Hachfee'. 'Hecken Star' has a smaller leaf than 'Blue Prince' and 'Hachfee'. The undulation of the leaf margin of 'Hecken Star' is weaker than in 'Blue Prince'. 'Hecken Star' has a smooth leaf texture while the leaf texture is leathery in 'Blue Prince'. 'Hecken Star' does not produce any berries while 'Hachfee' does.

Description:

'Hecken Star' is an evergreen shrub with an upright growth habit and a broad columnar shape at maturity. Plants have a high degree of branching with moderately dense foliage. The stem is medium to thick, edged in shape and is light green with a strong degree of anthocyanin colouration that is red-brown in colour. There is no stem twisting present. The simple type leaves are arranged in an alternate fashion along the stem and are elliptic in shape with an acute spiny tip and cuneate shaped base. The leaf blade has a spinose margin with very weak to no undulation. The leaf has a smooth texture with strong glossiness on the upper side. The upper side of the leaf is a dark green colour while the lower side is light green. The upper side of a newly opened leaf is a yellow green colour. The leaf has a petiole present. The sex of the plant is male.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Hecken Star' originated from a cross conducted in 1990 at Barmstedt, Germany. The female parent was Ilex x aquafolium 'Alaska' and the male parent was Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Prince'. It was selected based on its winter hardiness, good branching characteristics and upright plant habit.

Tests & Trials: Test and Trials were conducted outdoors during the summer of 2004 in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 12 shrubs of each of the candidate and reference varieties, grown in one gallon plastic containers in May 2004 and then transplanted into 3 gallon containers in July 2004. Trials were arranged in rows with spacing of 1 meter between containers.

Comparison tables for 'Hecken Star' with reference varieties 'Blue Prince and 'Hachfee'

Shrub height (cm)

Shrub width (cm)

Stem internode length (cm)

Leaf length (cm)

Leaf width (cm)

Petiole length (cm)