..yes you're right of course... I've just checked one of my books which has an extensive section on Hollies and it mentions your Bacciflava, which is also known as 'Fructu-luteo', and I see it's of the corallina group, which is a Chinese species.. Ilex aquifolium var. chinensis... that's interesting..
Nowhere does it say you specifically need a male holly from the same group... so if it's this one you especially want a male for, then Silver Queen seems like the one to go for, and it will pollinate your other one too by the looks of things..
An alternative male is 'Elegantissima' which apparently has fine foliage..'' a male with prickly undulate leaves and creamy margins''..
I've just caught up with this thread. Line of Duty is even more complicated!!😅
I know that you have to take care to have the right set of apple trees to get fruit but didn't appreciate that holly was of similar ilk. I've grown up with holly in a huge garden and there were always berries for Christmas (enough to cut a car load to decorate church). We bought the first Bacciflava in the 70s (bearing berries when purchased, a rule worth following if you want to be sure that it is female) which added interest to decorations, being rather unusual. Another advantage is that the birds don't eat the fruit - frequently they remain for a year or more. The Blue Angel cost less than a fiver and is full of flowers and if I do get berries by getting one which will fertilise both, it will be a bonus. I do want yellow berries so will search out a Silver Queen. If it doesn't get on with both, Blue Angel might be rehomed as space in the garden is limited.
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chinensis... that's interesting..
Nowhere does it say you specifically need a male holly from the same group... so if it's this one you especially want a male for, then Silver Queen seems like the one to go for, and it will pollinate your other one too by the looks of things..
An alternative male is 'Elegantissima' which apparently has fine foliage..'' a male with prickly undulate leaves and creamy margins''..
I know that you have to take care to have the right set of apple trees to get fruit but didn't appreciate that holly was of similar ilk. I've grown up with holly in a huge garden and there were always berries for Christmas (enough to cut a car load to decorate church). We bought the first Bacciflava in the 70s (bearing berries when purchased, a rule worth following if you want to be sure that it is female) which added interest to decorations, being rather unusual. Another advantage is that the birds don't eat the fruit - frequently they remain for a year or more. The Blue Angel cost less than a fiver and is full of flowers and if I do get berries by getting one which will fertilise both, it will be a bonus. I do want yellow berries so will search out a Silver Queen. If it doesn't get on with both, Blue Angel might be rehomed as space in the garden is limited.
Many thanks everyone.