Light. Full sun to partial shade. It grows quickly in either.
Water. Water often while it settles in. It likes moist soil and handles short dry spells once established, but it does not tolerate flooding.
Soil and feeding. It grows best in moist, acidic soil. On alkaline soil growth is poor and leaves turn yellow. Keep it away from concrete and use Soil Acidifier in alkaline soil.
Size. Grows to about 20 ft, with an upright, pyramidal shape that works as a screen or specimen.
Pruning. Little pruning is needed. Keep one central trunk; topped hollies sprout several upright trunks and turn messy.
Problems to watch. Scale and leaf miners are the only pests that do damage, and this is rare.
Good to know. It is a natural hybrid of two Florida native hollies, dahoon and American holly. Plants are female and set red berries without a male nearby. Bees visit the flowers and birds eat the fruit.
Sources: Florida Native Plant Society Plant Database: Ilex x attenuata · UF/IFAS Ask IFAS ST314: Ilex x attenuata 'East Palatka'
