Holly (Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens')
Ilex ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ Holly is a hybrid, meaning it was created by crossing two different types of Holly. Therefore, it doesn’t have a single “native region.” It’s origin story is in **Maryland, USA**.
Here’s the breakdown:
* **Hybrid Origin:** Ilex ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ is a hybrid between Ilex aquifolium (English Holly) and Ilex cornuta (Chinese Holly).
* **Developed in Maryland, USA:** It was developed in the 1900s in Maryland and is named after Nellie Robinson Stevens.
**Therefore, while it has genetic roots in Europe (English Holly) and Asia (Chinese Holly), it’s considered a North American (specifically, US) cultivar.** It’s where it was first created and popularized.