Japanese holly 'Soft Touch'

Questions about Japanese holly 'Soft Touch'

Does Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' need sun or shade?

Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 8. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

How far apart should Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' be planted?

2½ ft (75 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 2½ ft (70 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' plants do I need?

At 2½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 2 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 5 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 6 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. The berries and leaves cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension and the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like Japanese holly 'Soft Touch'?

These come closest to doing what Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Arborvitae 'Mr. Bowling Ball': the same job in a bed; 6 in narrower, wants moist soil.
• Deutzia 'Chardonnay Pearls': the same job in a bed; 6 in narrower, flowers early May to late May.
• Dwarf balsam fir: the same size; a specimen, not a drift, wants moist soil.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat Japanese holly 'Soft Touch'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What does Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' look like in winter?

Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' keeps its dark green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.

Is Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' good for bees and butterflies?

Japanese holly 'Soft Touch' is visited by pollinators, bees and specialist bees.