New Holly experiment! (Ilex "Blue prince/princess)

[canadianplant]

I went to home depot, and seen that they had a decent table full of holly. 90% of the time I ignore them, seeing as ive seen some people here in S ontario have little success with them. Today for some reason, I was drawn to a table with 2 gallon pots of Ilex. I took a look at the price, and they were 6.99. I got the price checked, and it was right! So I took a look at the sticker and it reads as follows:

SHRUB PROMOTION
Ilex mes. "Blue prince/princess"
h: 1.75 - 2M
w:2M
-34 to -29C
sun-part shade
flower:white
Berry:red

It looks like there are 2 plants in each pot, making me think there are both, male and female in each pot. This leads me to the question of hardiness. Looking online, the literature states that the BP holly is indeed "very hardy" (relatively) to around zone 5 (seems to be the average hardiness). There were quite a few sources stating zone 4. IF the tag is correct, -34C is zone 3 or 4, im not expecting it to survive in zone 3 (good thing im zone 4!)

Has anyone here tried this species of holly? Any advice?

[seedscanada]

In Ontario and Quebec, Home Depot gets those from the supplier where I last worked, here in town. They get them straight from California.
Three years ago, I put one in my front yard and it is doing wonderfully. Shouldn't be much of an experiment for you.

At the same time three years ago, from the same supplier, I chose to experiment by putting in Osmanthus 'Goshiki' and Osmanthus aureomarginata out there too. They made it, just great too. The coldest they experienced was -17c. Doing great.

Ilex blue
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7163391915/" title="Lincoln-20120607-00818 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7163 ... 5457_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120607-00818"></a>

Osmanthus aureomarginata
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7348607938/" title="Lincoln-20120607-00819 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8168/7348 ... f8e1_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120607-00819"></a>

Osmanthus 'Goshiki'
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7163397511/" title="Lincoln-20120607-00821 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7163 ... b565_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120607-00821"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/7348606498/" title="Lincoln-20120607-00820 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7071/7348 ... 494b_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Lincoln-20120607-00820"></a>

Yours should be okay.

[canadianplant]

Oh nice. Did you use th epine needles as mulch out of need, or cause of the soil conditions? Looks like full sun there as well?