Ilex opaca

Ilex opaca

Common name: American holly

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Leaf: green leaves, thick, leathery,deep green (2-4" long), spiny with marginal teeth

Flowers: dioecious, greenish- white flowers blooming May-June

Fruit: Bright red or orange fruits (drupes to 1/4" in diameter) ripening in fall on pollinated female trees, and persisting through the winter. Birds love the fruit.

Habit: slow-growing evergreen tree: Form: upright, pyramidal

Height: 15-30' (up to 50' in the wild)

Culture: Easily grown in average, consistently moist, acidic, well-drained soils in full-sun to part shade. Leaves typically yellow in alkaline soils. Tolerates a broad range of soil conditions, but not flooding or saturated soils. Avoid poorly drained soils. Best growth in the wild usually occurs on the edges of swamps and rich bottomlands. Best if protected from cold winter winds. If in a hot summer climate, shade from the afternoon sun is best. If in too much shade, the foliage density will not be as good. Hardy in USDA zones 5-9.

Uses: solo specimen ,or in groupings. As a foundation planting. Good winter foliage interest, berries are also good for winter interest and bird habitat. Woodland gardens. Hedges.

Origin: Eastern and south-central U.S.A.