Dwarf Burford Holly

{"key":"burford","id":"PLT-ILEX-CORNU-DWARF-BURFORD","slug":"dwarf-burford-holly","name":"Dwarf Burford Holly","botanical":"Ilex cornuta ‘Dwarf Burford’","eyebrow":"EVERGREEN MASS + SEASONAL BERRIES","benefit":"Build a green backdrop with enough room to last.","intro":"Dense foliage and a broad form make Dwarf Burford a strong background plant. The word dwarf is easy to misread: this holly belongs in a generous bed, with its pointed leaves kept outside everyday walking and lounging space.","h":[6,8],"w":[6,8],"install":[2.5,2],"color":"#425f43","habit":"round","light":"Sun to part shade","lightTags":["sun","part"],"water":"Well-drained soil; some drought tolerance once established","season":"Evergreen · seasonal red berries can persist into winter","care":"Shape only to the planned form; monitor foliage and drainage","site":"Consider a sheltered Pensacola-area bed with good drainage and space for a substantial crown. Afternoon shade can help in hot exposures. Establishment care matters even for a heat-tolerant shrub.","sizeNote":"NC State lists 6–8 ft high and wide, while noting plants can reach 9–10 ft high. This is a typical planning range, not a maximum size guarantee. A smaller clipped hedge requires continuing pruning.","uses":["Evergreen backdrop","Broad hedge","Winter interest","Privacy planting","Glossy green foliage"],"checks":[["Keep pointed foliage out of circulation.","Draw the mature canopy outside paths, pool circulation and chair pull-out space. Leaf tips should not become something people have to brush past."],["Plan the width before the quantity.","A row of small plants can eventually occupy a very deep strip. Check the shared boundary and maintenance access before closing up the spacing."],["Treat fruit as seasonal character.","Red berries can attract birds and also fall beneath the plant. They are not food for people; location matters around children, pets and pool water."],["Choose the long-term maintenance level.","A natural shrub and a tightly clipped hedge have different upkeep. If the bed only works with constant size control, revisit the selection."]],"faq":[["Does dwarf mean it belongs under a low window?","Not automatically. Its normal size is well above many window sills. Use the mature scale view and compare the actual sill height."],["Is this a native holly?","No. This is a cultivar of Chinese holly. The library also includes native yaupon and inkberry guides for comparison."],["Is it a good choice for a wet bed?","Avoid poorly drained locations. Confirm how the soil behaves after rain before treating a dense evergreen hedge as the solution."]],"sources":[["NC State Extension · Dwarf Burford identity, size and care","https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ilex-cornuta-dwarf-burford/"],["UF/IFAS · current Chinese holly assessment","https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/ilex-cornuta/"]],"companions":[{"slug":"rose-creek-abelia","name":"Rose Creek Abelia","title":"Soften a sunny foreground.","reason":"Rose Creek abelia offers a finer texture in front of a large holly where light and drainage suit both. Keep the holly’s future shade in mind.","image":{"id":"6a9f29186dd776cdaf22637e","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f29186dd776cdaf22637e_landova-shrub-rose-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Rose Creek Abelia"}},{"slug":"schillings-dwarf-yaupon-holly","name":"Schilling’s Dwarf Yaupon Holly","title":"Compare a native evergreen option.","reason":"Schilling’s Dwarf Yaupon offers a different leaf texture and native ancestry. It also needs generous width; compare natural sizes before substituting.","image":{"id":"6a9f5cd31fbbc23ce58d34ef","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f5cd31fbbc23ce58d34ef_landova-schilling-context-r05.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Schilling’s Dwarf Yaupon Holly"}}],"wholeCaption":"Illustrative form · dwarf in name, substantial in the landscape","detailCaption":"Illustrative detail · glossy leaves, pointed tips and seasonal red fruit","wholeFit":"contain","guideKind":"Cultivar guide","aliases":["Burfordii Nana","Burfordii Compacta","Chinese holly","Dwarf Burford"],"images":{"context":{"id":"6a9f71bec6e3b8d3a8d6eb7f","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f71bec6e3b8d3a8d6eb7f_landova-dwarf-burford-holly-landscape-r06-v2.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Dwarf Burford Holly"},"whole":{"id":"6a9f6fc7fa8cddc25912410c","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f6fc7fa8cddc25912410c_landova-burford-whole-r06.webp","alt":"Illustrative view of Dwarf Burford Holly overall form","fit":"contain"},"detail":{"id":"6a9f6fc9fa8cddc259124254","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f6fc9fa8cddc259124254_landova-burford-detail-r06.webp","alt":"Illustrative view of Dwarf Burford Holly foliage and seasonal detail"}},"caution":"Dwarf Burford can reach 9–10 ft high with age. Keep pointed leaves and seasonal fruit clear of busy spaces."}