Possum Haw, Deciduous Holly, Ilex decidua is a beautiful shrub or small tree native to Texas
and VA to s. IL & s. MO s. to FL Panhandle, the fruits a amazing in winter.
Excellent food for birds.
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ILDE
This picture is of the entrance to a 4 acre Wildscape where I volunteer.
A close up of the fruit.
A mature tree over a neighbor's fence.
Hehe, I have Texas native envy! hmmm weren't Texas and New Mexico part of the same territory once? :-)
That is a gorgeous plant!
Thank you, frostweed, for gracing this forum with those pictures.
That last one ought to be Ilex decidua 'Eruption'.
I searched for all Ilex native to New Mexico at the USDA plant data base and there were none. I really wanted to find a winterberry for here.
Thanks for asking for the thumbnails Josephine.. I must say the one for this thread is Gorgeous!!!
Thank you Viburnum, I love that plant too.
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Angele, I am sorry that the Possum Haw is not native to your state.
I did find one tree that has berries in winter although they are not red, but a beautiful amber color.
It is the Soapberry, Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii, a very handsome tree indeed with lovely fall color as well. You might want to check it out.
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SASAD
Josephine.
I think the thumbnails will brighten this forum and make it more fun.
They sure did the job quick, I am impressed.
I'll take a look, thanks! I have at least 6 more weeks to decide on a beginning plant list. I am amazed at the info available on the internet. Wildflower.org has always been a favorite site!
cross posted but I am impressed too! Natives and wildflowers, of course, make some of the prettiest thumbnails to be found!
Josephine - wonderful, love it... wish mine here ever got that big to bloom!
They will eventually Mitch, it just takes time and patience, but you know, time passes quicker than you might think, and one day there you are, you have a beautiful specimen.
One of my concerns about using the native plants for my home landscape is that I live in a scrub desert and I want my yard to look like it is tended and not just part of the scrub. That first picture you posted could be used as a greeting card or painting! Very nice!
I know... I know... just will need to start with babies again inOK>
Mitch, what is your favorite native plant in your garden? Besides lantana :-) Do you have anything the birds like to eat?
lol - I have that I love, frostweed, ironweed, coneflowers, Mexican Hats, all types of cactus, poppies, sumacs, dogwoods, redbuds, sage, salvia, sunflowers, native plums, amorphas, dayflowers, and almost everything in between - my yard is covered in birds when everything is going to seed - they eat it all... and they always come back for more and more and more. With moving this year I have seeds ready of all the above and a few 20 or so more that I just cannot wait to get going. Should be fun :-)
What a wonderful list. I can just picture all the happy birds! I've got to look up amorphas.. never heard of them or frostweed for that matter!
they are both stunning - great in the garden.
