Scientific Name Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri'
Common Name Foster Holly
Hardiness Zone 6 to 9
Size 20 to 30' tall, to 10' wide
Growth Rate Fast
Exposure Full to partial sun
Group Tree - Evergreen
Characteristics Leaves alternate, simple, 1.5 to 3" long and half as wide, thin. One to four spiny teeth on each side. Glossy, lustrous.
Rich deep berries Autumn and Winter.
Pyramidal form but much more columnar than Nellie Stevens Holly.
Very susceptible to spittlebugs.
Landscape Uses Good specimen plant.
Slender pyramidal form is excellent for tall hedges and screens.
Needs pruning to keep a dense compact form.
Works well as a neutral filller among more showy foliage.
History Hybrids between Ilex cassine amd Ilex opaca.
Selected clones known as Foster #1, 2, 3, 4, 5 were made by E.E. Foster from Bessemer, AL.
Foster #2 is the most widely found form, especially in the South and is similar to #3.
#4 is a male.
#1 and #5 were inferior forms of Ilex opaca.