Nellie Stevens Holly

A fast, dense evergreen screen with glossy dark-green leaves and bright red winter berries — privacy without a second plant in sight.

Nellie Stevens Holly is a broadleaf evergreen prized as one of the most reliable privacy and screening hollies for the South and mid-Atlantic. It carries thick, leathery, dark-green leaves year-round on a naturally full pyramidal frame, growing at a moderate, steady pace to a mature 15 to 25 ft. tall and 6 to 10 ft. wide. Its tight, layered branching gives you a solid green wall from the ground up — ideal for tall property-line screens, evergreen backdrops, and stately specimen planting.

What I love about it

Nellie Stevens is the privacy screen that does everything right. Unlike most hollies, it sets a heavy crop of bright red berries without a male nearby — so a single row still lights up in winter with color that birds flock to. The stiff, spined leaves discourage deer browsing, making it a smarter screen where arborvitae gets eaten. It's heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant once established, and hardy in Zones 6–9. The naturally pyramidal form looks tidy with little or no shearing, and it resists most of the pests that plague needled conifers. Plant a row and you have a four-season screen that earns its keep every month of the year.

Plant Care Tips

• ☀️ Light: Full sun to part shade — best density and berry production in full sun
• 💧 Water: Water deeply until established; drought-tolerant once mature
• 🌡️ Temperature: Hardy to -10°F (Zone 6); heat and humidity tolerant
• 🪴 Difficulty: Very easy — low-maintenance and self-sufficient
• 🐾 Pet Safety: Berries toxic to dogs and cats — keep pets away from fallen berries
• 📏 Spacing: Space 5–6 ft apart for a solid privacy hedge

Plant Specs

• Mature Size: 15–25 ft tall, 6–10 ft wide
• Growth Rate: Moderate to fast
• Foliage: Glossy dark green; evergreen year-round
• Winter Interest: Heavy crop of bright red berries (self-fruiting)
• Growing Zone: 6–9