Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Country Or Region Of Origin
Florida, USA
Plant Profile: Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri'
Names
Foster's Holly
Phonetic Spelling:EYE-leks at-ten-yoo-AY-tuh FOS-ter-ee
Genus:Ilex
Species:
Family:Aquifoliaceae
The Foster's Holly is a hybrid of I. cassine and I. opaca, characterized as a compact evergreen tree with a dense pyramidal shape, reaching heights of up to 20 inches. This tree grows rapidly and is prolific in fruit production, bearing red berries that remain throughout the winter months. It exhibits moderate tolerance to salt, faces some pest challenges, and shows mild resistance to deer damage.
Identification Tips:
For further details on Ilex x attenuata, please refer to additional resources.
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Feature Summary
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Image Gallery
Tags
#evergreen
#small tree
#red berries
#wildlife plant
#nectar plant
#salt tolerant
#playground
#specialized bees
#food source
#fast growing
#cpp
#deer resistant
#children's garden
#red fruits
#pollinator plant
#fantz
#food source winter
#bird friendly
#bee friendly
Similar Plants
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' is often confused with:
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Feature Summary
Attributes
Florida, USA
Fruits are attractive to birds. Flowers attract bees. Some birds and animals feed on the fruit and foliage in the winter. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.
Woody
Stem Cutting
Edible fruit
Wildlife Food Source
Buffer
Screening
Fruit
This plant heavily produces round, red berries that persists into winter and are less than an inch long and wide.
Berry
Drupe
Red/Burgundy
Edible
Showy
Fall
Winter
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
Inconspicuous, white flowers that are less than an inch in axils.
White
Cream/Tan
Spring
< 1 inch
Leaves
Leaves are 1 1/2" - 3" long. They are alternate, simple, elliptic to oblong-ovate, and spinose with 1-4 spiny teeth on each side. Leaves are glossy and dark green and can grow to be a little under 3" long.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Simple
Alternate
Elliptical
Ovate
Oblong
1-3 inches
Glossy
Smooth
Leathery
Waxy
Long-lasting
< 1 inch
Whole Plant Traits
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Erect
Conical
Pyramidal
Open
Rapid
Medium
Medium
Spines
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Very Dry
6-feet-12 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Stem
Landscape
Edible Garden
Children's Garden
Border
Hedge
Mass Planting
Accent
Small groups
Specimen
Deer
Salt
Recreational Play Area
Lawn
Slope/Bank
Coastal
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees
Small Mammals
Specialized Bees
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Image Gallery
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Attributes
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Wildlife Value
Fruits are attractive to birds. Flowers attract bees. Some birds and animals feed on the fruit and foliage in the winter. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Fruit
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Fruit Description
This plant heavily produces round, red berries that persists into winter and are less than an inch long and wide.
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Fruit Color
Red/Burgundy
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Flowers
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Flower Description
Inconspicuous, white flowers that are less than an inch in axils.
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Flower Color
Cream/Tan
White
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Leaves
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Description
Leaves are 1 1/2" - 3" long. They are alternate, simple, elliptic to oblong-ovate, and spinose with 1-4 spiny teeth on each side. Leaves are glossy and dark green and can grow to be a little under 3" long.
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Color
Green
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Hairs Present
No
Yes
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Whole Plant Traits
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Appendage
Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Cultural Conditions
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Stem
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' Landscape
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri': Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
