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Identify a holly bush male or female

gaynorryan123gaynorryan123 Posts: 9
edited December 2018 in Problem solving
I have have two small holly bushes , neither have had berries ever( I thought they must be male ) then I read that you can have female bushes but they won't get berries unless there is a male. So how  I can I tell what I have got?
 I recently saw two lovely holly bushes for sale in pots pom-pom shaped  with loads of berries on - I was going to buy as a Christmas gift - but would they get berries next  year if my friend does not have a male holly bush.
So if my holly bushes are male could I take a cutting and stick this into the bottom of the pots for my friend?
Any help please 

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    They're insect pollinated so as long as there's a male holly within a mile or so then you can let the bees take care of business. For indoor decorations you're better off just buying or making some fake berries to wire onto your holly and leaving the real thing to the birds. Wooden beads painted red are my favoured fake berry of choice.

    Holly doesn't take well from cuttings. Keep an eye out for seedlings around larger bushes and dig them up with a good rootball. Or buy them if you're feeling posh.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    you can't tell til they flower. A male flower has stamens with yellow pollen on. A female has the lumpy bit in the middle where the pollen ends up and eventually a berry forms


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • gaynorryan123gaynorryan123 Posts: 9
    Thanks for your comments - I have just nipped out to check if there are any remnants of flowers on the boring  ones Ive got - but  nothing there so would have to wait until next year to check them out. I suppose the super ones Ive seen would make a nice present for myself ! Will check out if my friends neighbours  have holly bushes nearby they would act as pollinators.  
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Don't be confused by names either: Silver Queen is male and Golden King is female.
    Devon.
  • gaynorryan123gaynorryan123 Posts: 9
    Thanks - yes you would be easily confused

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    gaynorryan123 said:
    Thanks - yes you would be easily confused

    indeed so. 
    Forgive me , but read your name as Gay Norryan, but I'm guessing it's Gaynor Ryan.
    Devon.
  • gaynorryan123gaynorryan123 Posts: 9
    Yes second time correct !
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906
    Hi gaynorryan. These pictures shoud help too:
    Image result for Pictures of male and female holly flowers

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    well found Ladybird, I can see the stamens with yellow pollen and the lumpy bit in the middle of the females :) 


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906
    Thank you nutcutlet
    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
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