It looks like Japanese holly, Ilex crenata, but growing in a rather strange form. If that ID is confirmed, you can trim it back at will.

Thanks - just googled it and looks like one type called sky pencil japanese holly. Its not a problem in May in Virginia to trim it? Just making sure!

'Sky Pencil' should be a pretty dense columnar form - if that is what it is, these NEED trimming :-) And these can be pruned any time you like - they are not fussy plants and can be sheared into shape easily.

you are in for a lifetime of pruning.. it having been planted one foot from the foundation ... i would remove it ...

ken

Dangit! I didn't know at the time I was so new! Ha. We shall see how it goes. Thanks so much!

If it is 'Sky Pencil', the plant typically gets no more than 18" wide, so how close it is to the foundation is somewhat immaterial. The plant grows as a vertical column - it was intended for very tight spaces. I'm just not at all sure this is 'Sky Pencil', as its growth is quite abnormal for that cultivar.

Are there any other photo angles that'd help you determine what it is? I agree the online pics of sky pencil are much denser. Look in the background of my photo though as it's the same tall shrub that looks a tad more dense. Or maybe a true ID doesn't even matter and I just clip it a bit and move on with my life! Ha

Dangit! I didn't know at the time I was so new

==>> exactly .. live and learn ... and now you will learn about pruning.. lol ..

and when you get tired of it .. you will learn how to separate from it ...

been there.. done that ... good luck

ken

Looks like Bay Laurel to me.

how about 'green spire' euonymus?

I've googled all of these suggestions (thanks), and really sky pencil is by far the closest looking. Or maybe its a slightly different variation of Japanese holly. Either way I went ahead and trimmed it so the branches don't sag over and it looks much much better. Had to work around like a hundred bee's who were pollinating it though!

Don't know where you live. But snow loads could have splayed it out a bit. Is this in shade?

I would say Japanese holly though. Some of mine are just starting to bloom. There are many, many varieties. Where did it come from? If this were in my area, I would almost guess it to be a 'Steeds'.

Japanese hollies can take a LOT of shearing and will fill in. But nearly always are more dense with more light.

Those flower buds sure don't look like they belong to holly and that form is not that of a Sky Pencil in my opinion.

Its Southern VA, and in partial sun.

I agree that it doesn't look at all like 'Sky Pencil' in form or habit but I am pretty sure it IS a Japanese holly of some variety. See the attached link for enlarged photos of the J. holly flowers. It is not bay laurel nor is it Euonymus 'Green Spire'.