Plant Guide | Privacy Screens | Nellie R. Stevens Holly

Nellie R. Stevens Holly Privacy Screen for Memphis Yards

Nellie R. Stevens Holly, often searched as Nellie Stevens holly, is a fast-growing evergreen privacy screen for yards in Germantown, Collierville, and Memphis. It reaches 15 to 25 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide and forms a dense, pyramidal wall of glossy, dark green leaves. The Memphis Area Master Gardeners recommend it as a fast evergreen privacy screen. It handles heat, drought, and heavy clay better than many hollies, but it does not like wet, low spots. It grows in full sun or partial shade, and it puts on a heavy crop of bright red berries that ripen in fall and last into winter. For a solid screen, we space plants about 4 to 6 feet apart (on center). Green Earth LLC handles privacy hedge installation and shrub planting across Germantown, Collierville, Arlington, and East Memphis. Call (901) 657-3614 to plan your Nellie R. Stevens screen.

Nellie Stevens Holly Quick Facts: Size, Growth Rate, and Spacing

Why It Works in Memphis-Area Yards

• Fast privacy: It grows quickly into a dense, conical to pyramidal form, and the Memphis Area Master Gardeners recommend it as a fast-growing evergreen for privacy in the Memphis area.
• Handles summer heat: It handles heat and drought better than many hollies once its roots are established.
• Clay tolerant: It tolerates heavy clay soil, but it does not like low spots that stay wet. If water sits in your yard after a rain, our drainage solutions can fix the planting area first.
• Winter color and wildlife: Small spring flowers feed bees, and the red winter berries attract songbirds.
• Berries without a partner: It is a female plant that sets some berries on its own. A male Chinese holly or Edward J. Stevens holly nearby improves the berry crop.

Care Tips

• Watering: Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season until roots are established. A properly zoned irrigation system makes this easy to keep up.
• Mulch: Spread mulch 2 to 3 inches deep and keep it pulled back from the trunk.
• Pruning: Prune to shape in winter. To grow it as a small tree, limb up the lower branches. Our landscape maintenance crews can handle seasonal shaping for you.
• Sun: It grows in full sun to part shade. Some protection from hot afternoon sun helps prevent leaf scorch.
• What to watch for: Scale, spider mites, and leaf spot. Yellowing leaves can signal soil that is too alkaline.

Other Hollies in Our Plant Guide

• Oakland Holly: oak-shaped evergreen leaves and red winter berries, no male holly needed
• Savannah Holly: a tall, upright pyramidal holly with red winter berries
• Emerald Colonnade Holly: a narrow, columnar holly for tight spaces, with no berries

Compare Privacy Screens

• Nellie R. Stevens Holly (this page): 15 to 25 feet tall, 8 to 12 feet wide, fast growing
• Oakland Holly: 12 to 20 feet tall, 8 to 15 feet wide
• Savannah Holly: 15 to 30 feet tall, 8 to 15 feet wide
• Taylor Juniper: 15 to 20 feet tall, only 3 to 4 feet wide
• Emerald Green Arborvitae: 12 to 15 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet wide
• Emerald Colonnade Holly: 10 to 12 feet tall, 6 to 8 feet wide

See all of our privacy screen plants in the Plant Guide, or read our guide to the best privacy trees for Memphis.

Nellie R. Stevens Holly FAQ

How big does Nellie R. Stevens Holly get?

It typically reaches 15 to 25 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide, with a dense, conical to pyramidal shape.

How far apart should I plant Nellie R. Stevens Holly for privacy?

Space plants 4 to 6 feet apart, measured on center, for a dense screen. Give single specimen plants more room.

Does Nellie R. Stevens Holly need a male holly to make berries?

Not strictly. It is a female plant that sets some berries on its own. A male Chinese holly or Edward J. Stevens holly nearby improves the berry crop.

Is Nellie R. Stevens Holly deer resistant?

It has some deer resistance, but it is not deer-proof.

Will Nellie R. Stevens Holly grow in clay soil?

Yes. It tolerates heavy clay, but avoid low spots that stay wet. If your yard holds water, fix the drainage before you plant.

Do you plant Nellie R. Stevens Holly in Germantown and Collierville?

Yes. Green Earth LLC designs and installs privacy screens across the Memphis area, including Germantown and Collierville. Call (901) 657-3614 or contact us to get started.