Could very well be a hybrid; although it's hard to cross opaca with Asian and European hollies because the bloom times vary (ours later, logically) it can be done on purpose, and could well happen by accident in a strange spring like the last one. A lot of rhododendrons that do not normally overlap for me, did.

'Satyr Hill' is of course the location of McLean nursery, so, plenty of chances for a natural crossing to occur there.

I saw opaca X aquifolium (or possibly opaca X altaclerense) at Rutgers - they were not too different looking from typical opaca, except the foliage was more lustrous. Leaf shape not too different. The fosteri X altaclerense were much more appealing, and to me one of the prettiest thorny hollies.

I know 'Satyr Hill' was named and propagated by McLean Nursery, but I'm not entirely sure it was 'discovered' there. If it was, then certainly there were plenty other hollies around for cross-pollination. But some holly enthusiasts claim to see quite a diversity of forms of opaca in the wild.

Fosteri X altaclerense? Would love to see a photo of that.

There's a picture of it, albeit somewhat burnt, on this thread: A few pictures of unusual and/or unique Hollies at Rutgers

At the time I said it was Fosteri X aquifolium; but in subsequent research I determined the pollen parent was probably an X altaclerense. (as many of the hardy northeastern aquifoliums really are, according to Bill Kuhl)

This subject sent me searching to see if my long ago friend and Ilex opaca hybridizer, Wilfred Wheeler, was responsible for 'Satyr Hill'. The answer is, no. However, I did run across the following. Stuart McLean found a seedling holly across the street from his nursery which he eventually named 'Satyr Hill'. He was reluctant to introduce it "for fear that it might be more popular than his 'Miss Helen' which he named after his wife".

While on the subject of hollies may I encourage those in the 6-8 growing zone to plant Longstalk holly (Ilex pedunculosa). Summer Hill Nursery is one of the few that sells both the male (grows very slowly) and female trees. One male will fertilize six females. A specimen holly, seldom planted.

Well, found across the street could certainly have come from the nursery!

Thanks for the info. McLean Nurseries is a magical little place. One visits and thinks, too bad, if only more people planted Ilex and other BLEs. Very cheery looking on a bright winter's day.

Are you a holly society member?

Agreed the Asian smooth-leaved hollies are HUGELY underused. BTW Google says that nursery's site might be hacked, so I will not click on it. But it's good to know there's a nursery as far north as CT offering those hollies. Needed even more up there, I daresay. I guess they've mastered growing them from cuttings.

Thanks for sharing, nandina.

Here's a link to Nandina's toothpick technique.

Magical, nandina.

Thank you!

Dax

I read about a similar method for rooting plumeria. Branches were cut part-way through and allowed to hang down and callus over. After several weeks they were removed and potted up. Roots formed more readily. Callus formed but cuttings remained well hydrated as they were still connected to the tree.

'Satyr Hill' is definitely distinctive with leaves rounded at the tip. One drawback, care must be taken to tie & stake when young, they want to grow to the side. Also, the tree develops "holes" or gaps in the branching structure rather than fill in nicely. Ask 10 people for their favorite opaca and you get 10 different answers. As for me 'Old Heavy Berry'. This is a really first class tree with thick, leathery leaves and forms straight as an arrow trunk. It was selected by E. Dilatush from NJ in the '30's. To me, 'Old Heavy Berry' stands apart like a thoroughbred, afterall, it was chosen by holly specialists. I knew Tom Dilatush, he was a regular walking encyclopedia. There is a real beauty at the holly collection at Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College. That's the best way to compare hollies, when you can see them side by side. As for propagation, the entire genus of Ilex along with its closely allied Nemopanthus are easily propagated by cuttings. My experience is that softwood cuttings in summer under mist yield a high percentage of rooted cuttings. It is best to take them from young, vigorous, juvenile stock.

Sam, can you post a photo of Old Heavy Berry?

Hi Dave, I'll get some pix for you before Christmas.

Ilex opaca f. xanthocarpa

Below pic is 'Felton's Special'. Contrary to the literature this appears to be a glossy leaved male.

Pix of Ilex opaca taken at yesterday at holly collection of Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore College. Below is 'Carolina' somewhat shy to berry at least this year also berries slower to color. Largest leaf of the opacas that I know.

Wow Sam! Great documentation. Old Heavy Berry doesn't have a bad leaf.

Here's an I. x koehniana 'Wirt L. Winn' from the gardens of Univ of Del @ Newark on a rainy, overcast day.

There is some winter damage to foliage, also heavily berried, perhaps nothing eats the berries?

OTOH 'Longwood Gold' holly has come through with flying colors, no winter damage whatsoever.

Some of my Koehnes had moderate burning of leaf edges like that too. And my 'James G Esson'. I am SURE there was not the same in either polar vortex winter, which proves what a "shock" to plants, the January cold spell was. In my garden at least, we went into both PV winters with very moist soil. And had snow cover for most of the duration of both events'. As you know, we were in a mild drought this time, when the cold struck. I think that was the main difference. The plant just hadn't moved enough moisture and 'anti-freeze' into the leaves, thus the whipping winds of those first couple weeks of January, dried them out. It's like how you hear a very hardy BLE that could be easily grown in zone 5b in Massachusetts, like rugosa hollies, are harder to grow in Denver 5b suburbs because the winter winds, strong sun, and dry soil takes them out. (conversely, Panayoti Kelaidis was able to keep alpine proteas alive for a least mild winters in Denver, that would have rotted anywhere along the east coast.)

One proof of this is that my BLEs in a part of the yard where the water table is higher, and the soil stayed more moist throughout fall and early winter, showed less damage this year, comparatively.

Fortunately my hollies also seem to be getting hardier. 'Sand Pond', an attenuata-type plant with very large berries, was over 50% defoliated by PV I. This time, it only had minor burning as with the Koehnes.

David:

I'm sorry I have not been keeping up with this forum. I visited McLean about 14 years ago, and bought two Satyr Hill hollies, along with Dan Fenton, Miss Helen, and Baltimore Buzz for pollination.

First, I have no reason to think that Satyr Hill is not pure opaca. The leaf shape is well within the variations I see with the other opacas I have. Second, one of mine died--a soil "pollution" issue. The other, in soil that is not the best, and which is much exposed to winds and the relatively cold winters here, is gorgeous, and has very, very full and dense foliage with wonderful leaf color, and profuse, nice berries. It is easily the best of the three I bought there. But due to the limitations of its "site," it is only about 8 feet tall now, but very "bushy." On better sites, I know it can grow tall at a decent rate. My familiarity with other opaca cultivars is limited, but I would not hesitate to recommend Ilex opaca, 'Satyr Hill.' It is simply wonderful!

Stop by again, if you are in the neighborhood.

--Spruce

Spruce,

Hi again. Good to see you! Would love to visit but it's going to be a busy spring and summer...plan to plant even more BLEs than I did last spring. I have roughly 200 things in pots and really need to start moving some out into the garden...this will mean lots of watering and aftercare for the first year. Maybe in the fall if we have a good growing season. (and alas, more incoming...though I tried to stop myself. What Rhododendron collector could resist trying this: Korbel | Singing Tree Gardens Nursery Even though it looks rot susceptible. I'll give it the mound of sand treatment that so far, has kept Barlup's 'Wild Ginger' alive.

Something about the combination of shape and glossiness looks a little suspicious on 'Satyr Hill'. It's especially 'incriminating' that it was found near McLean LOL. OTOH, as I stated, Eurasian X North American crosses are hard to produce, very unlikely to occur naturally, and I'm not aware of any ever having been deliberately grown at McLean. (Mr. Kuhl and I briefly discussed the topic, when I told him about the Foster X Highclere at Rutgers) As you point out, there is a lot of variation in Ilex opaca. So, who knows. Maybe just a lucky variation.

Was looking at the wild opaca in the woods near my house today, and noticed a few burnt leaves, even on those! They perhaps have a more hard scrabbled life than the large opaca planted in my garden, most (3 out of 4) of which I plan to eventually remove. No visible damage on those.