Holly bushes are a popular evergreen landscape shrub, prized for their glossy foliage and bright red winter berries. However, these hardy bushes can sometimes become unruly and overgrown. Their dense branching habit, extensive root systems, and painful prickly leaves make removing mature holly bushes an arduous task.
If your overgrown hollies have outlived their welcome, getting rid of them for good requires diligence and persistence. But with the right techniques, you can reclaim your landscape from stubborn holly bushes.
Why Remove Established Holly Bushes?
Before tackling removal, consider why you want to eliminate existing hollies:
- They’ve become too large and unruly, encroaching on structures.
- Sharp foliage makes areas unsafe for children or pets.
- Berries create a mess when they fall.
- You’re tired of constant pruning and maintenance.
- You want to reclaim the space for new plantings.
- An expanding holly is crowding out other landscape plants.
While hollies offer benefits like year-round structure and bird habitat overgrown specimens can cause more headaches than they’re worth. Taking them out completely may be the best solution.
Challenges of Removing Mature Hollies
Several factors make getting rid of overgrown holly bushes difficult
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Extensive, spreading root systems that penetrate deeply into the soil. Even small root segments left behind can regenerate.
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Vigorous regrowth from the holly’s tenacious root system if not entirely removed.
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Sharp, spiny foliage makes accessing and working around holly branches hazardous. Thick protective clothing is a must.
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Large size of mature specimens, which can reach 12 feet tall and wide. Removing substantial bushes takes muscle.
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Year-round foliage means you can’t remove hollies when dormant like other landscape plants Protective wear is always needed
Effective Techniques for Holly Bush Removal
Removing deep-rooted hollies is challenging, but not impossible. Here are systematic methods to get rid of them for good:
Remove All Visible Above-Ground Growth
Start by eliminating all top growth down to ground level:
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Wear thick gloves, long sleeves, pants and eye protection for safety around prickly holly branches.
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Use loppers or a saw to cut main holly stems as close to the soil as possible.
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Chip up cut branches or dispose of debris as local regulations allow.
This removes hazardous mature top growth so you can access the remaining stump and roots.
Apply Chemical Root Killers
For best results, use herbicide on freshly cut stumps to kill the remaining roots:
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Chemicals containing triclopyr or glyphosate are effective when applied to cut holly stumps according to label directions.
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Drilling holes in the stump allows better herbicide penetration to the roots.
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Be patient – it may take weeks or months for the chemicals to fully destroy the roots. Monitor for and remove any new shoots.
Dig Out Remaining Roots
For permanent removal, extracting as much of the root system as possible is key:
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Dig at least 2 feet out from the stump and work inward to expose roots.
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Leverage tools like picks or pry bars to wrestle out root segments. Remove all pieces, no matter how small.
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Use a saw or axe to sever thick roots until you can wrest the main stump free.
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Fill in holes and tamp down soil once finished.
Grind Away Stumps
You can also rent a power stump grinder toremove stumps below ground level. But roots left behind may still regrow new holly shoots. Follow up with chemicals or root removal to prevent regrowth.
Expect Ongoing Monitoring After Removal
Once you’ve eliminated visible holly growth, be prepared for follow-up maintenance:
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Monitor the area for at least a year, looking for holly shoots from leftover roots.
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Expect new sprouts and stay vigilant about digging out any regrowth before it matures.
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Avoid replanting immediately so you can spot emerging sprouts.
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It may take a few years of monitoring before the root system dies out completely.
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Patience and persistence are key! But your efforts will eventually provide a holly-free landscape.
Removing deep-rooted hollies takes time and repeated effort. But with diligence and the right techniques, you can eradicate overgrown holly bushes for good. Reclaim garden space and control unwanted hollies through vigilant monitoring and removal of any regrowth.
Cut holly to ground level
Cut it down to ground level with a handsaw, large loppers or chainsaw. Cutting alone will not eliminate holly as it will regrow from its roots but this is an important first step.
Why is holly invasive?
- A single holly plant can turn into a patch containing thousands of stems
- Holly spreads underground through a rapidly expanding root system which sprout new plants as far as 20 feet away
- Holly produces extremely resilient growth that re-sprouts after cutting
- Birds spread holly seeds rapidly
- Holly plants produce thousands of seeds per year
- Holly absorbs huge amounts of water and nutrients hog, which harms other plants growing in its vicinity
- It is the Pacific North West’s most shade tolerant invasive plant and has the greatest potential to harm coastal forests
- When holly branches touch the soil they will take root and create a new plant
- Holly thickets can often suppress all native vegetation and completely take over a forest
How to remove holly bush and roots
FAQ
How hard is it to remove holly bushes?
With their prickly leaves and dense foliage, removing a holly bush is no easy task. But with the right tools, you can take out a holly bush daily quickly. Keep in mind the time of year matters—it’s much easier to remove a holly bush in winter than spring.
Will vinegar kill holly bushes?
Vinegar will do nothing but cause some shriveling of the foliage. It will have no impact on the root system and hollies will regrow from just stubs. When the plants are in full growth mode – like now – cut off the top growth and apply an herbicide that contains triclopyr directly to the cut end of the stem.
How to stop holly from spreading?
- Control large English holly plants by cutting stems near the ground. Expect regrowth from the stem below the cut. …
- Dig or pull out plants when the soil is moist. Soil disturbance encourages seed to germinate.
- Use a chipper to dispose of the plants or compost them in place.
How much does it cost to remove a holly bush?
| Charge type | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Per hour | $50 – $125 |
| Per bush or shrub (2′ – 6′ tall) | $25 – $150 |
| Per large bush or shrub (6’+ tall) | $60 – $250 |
| Per 5′ length of hedges (5′ – 6′ tall) | $40 – $150 |
When should Holly Bush be removed?
The reason for waiting a few months is that the holly bush has a large root system which can be difficult to remove. If the bush is removed immediately after it is killed, the root system can still be intact, making it difficult to move and causing potential damage to the surrounding landscape.
How do you kill holly bushes?
The best way to kill holly bushes is to physically remove them. Dig around the stump and root system to eliminate all traces of the bush. Make sure not to leave any stray roots in the ground as these could regrow into a new bush.
Can you remove a holly bush without killing it?
Yes, it is possible to remove a holly bush without killing it. Carefully dig up the bush and its roots, then transplant it to a new location. How long does it take for a holly bush to die after applying an herbicide?
How do you remove a holly bush?
Smaller holly growths can be hand plucked, but larger ones may need more physical effort. To make the removal and digging process easier, water the ground around the bush. Water the ground for a few days before actually removing the plant. Keeping the ground moist will help soften the soil and make digging much easier.
How do you stop a holly bush from spreading?
Another way to prevent the holly bush from spreading is to use herbicides. Herbicides can help to kill off surrounding weeds and grass that compete for nutrients with the holly bush. Apply herbicides as directed and be sure to wear protective clothing when using them. Finally, you can use mulch to prevent the holly bush from spreading.
How do you care for a holly bush?
Cover the stump of the holly bush with a tarpaulin sheet or weed barrier to deprive it of sunlight. Prune or saw the shrub as close to the ground as possible. Another option is to pour bleach into the stump and around the roots for several days, or to pour salt into the open stump. However, this will harm the soil around the holly bush.