Evergreen Holly (seedling)
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

This is a slow grower, like most evergreen hollies. Longevity is believed to be a "medium" lifespan, with the genetic potential to live approximately 100-150 years.

Flower and Fruit Details

Spring flowers are dull white, 4-lobed, dioecious, male in cymes, female 1-3 on a peduncle. Fruit is a berry-like, dull, red, rounded drupe, 1/4-1/2" diameter, on female plants, with 4 pits. Fruits attract bluebirds, thrushes, woodpeckers, catbirds, thrashers, mockingbirds, and others. Raw berries are toxic to humans.

Leaf and Bark Features

Evergreen: Leaves are simple, broadleaf evergreen, 1.5" to 3.5" long, and half to three-quarters that wide, alternately arranged, dark green, spiny with large teeth, and leathery. Smooth, light gray bark.

Culture and Care

Needs a nearby male holly to get fruit on female plants. Needs moderately fertile, moist, loose, acid, well-drained soil. Tolerates some shade, but sun is best for denser plants and more fruits. Avoid dry, windy, wet sites. Pollution tolerant. Zone 5-9. Holly leaf miner and scale insects can be a problem, as well as powdery mildew disease, spine spot and leaf scorch. Chlorosis may occur in alkaline soils.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

The broad, evergreen leaves and colorful fruits provide winter food and shelter for songbirds. Good wildlife value. 4-season interest: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. For best fruit set, plant one male nearby for every 3 females. Native Americans preserved holly berries for use as decorative buttons, which were highly prized trade items.

Suggested Uses

Most evergreen hollies make good specimen or hedge plants, especially the female forms that yield showy fruits (usually red) through the fall and early winter.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA