Ilex opaca
American Holly
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.American Holly is a wildlife-friendly evergreen tree with dark green, spine-tipped leaves and light gray bark. Its tiny, greenish-white flowers...
Description:
American Holly is a wildlife-friendly evergreen tree with dark green, spine-tipped leaves and light gray bark. Its tiny, greenish-white flowers blooming May-June provide a nectar source for honeybees and butterflies. This tree is also a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici). Since it is dioecious (separate male and female plants), a male must be in the area to pollinate females for fruit production. The female trees bear bright red, berry-like fruits, which persist through the winter and provide winter food for birds. The red fruits and evergreen leaves add winter color to the yard, and cuttings make excellent holiday decorations. Use American Holly as a specimen tree or plant in groups in woodland gardens or hedges.
Plant Details:
Plant Type: Tree
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Late Spring to Early Summer
Bloom Colors: Green, White
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Bees and Other Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds
Salt Tolerance: Medium
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal, Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun, Partial Shade, Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 40 - 50 ft
Spread: 18 - 40 ft
Growth Rate: Slow