Ilex Species, American Holly, Christmas Holly

American Holly is native to and does well in the Mid-Atlantic Region. It is a beautiful broadleaf evergreen tree. It grows about 1 foot/y...Read Moreear, though cultivars of this range from 6" to 15"/year. The red berries borne by the female or pistillate trees are very good for many species of birds. It grows wild a lot in the Delmarva peninsula in forest with oak, hickory, and other hardwood trees. It does sometimes self sow in landscapes a little bit, which is nice. Unfortunately, the nursery industry has been giving more favor to the hybrid Anglo-Chinese species with the cultivar of 'Nellie Stevens' that grows twice as fast, but does not look as good with the latter's irregular end growth.

I lived in the south a few number of years and became accustomed to the American Holly and wanted to plant one in zone 5a. Some opaca ar...Read Moreound here lose thier leaves in severe winters in exposed sites but recover soon as spring hits so in zone 5 these guys are fully usable. Others never lose a leaf. Winter protection can always be useful this far north for a better looking plant but not necessary.

The American Holly is very nice, broadleaf-evergreen tree native north to coastal portions of Connecticut on the east coast. Trees from n...Read Moreative stands here in Connecticut often have a very pleasant, slightly conical (like the Southern Magnolia), open habit. This plant is underused in landscapes across the northern part of its range. Some ignorantly insist that the tree, though native here in the northeast, is not "hardy." It would be nice to see more of these trees and less of the overused China Girl or China Boy hollies.

I love this holly, so much prettier than the other hollies because it doesn’t lose all of it’s leaves like the other ones, it does sh...Read Moreed and those prickly leaves everywhere but you can never see all the way through it like some others. Ours is close to 30' I'm sure, and my favorite tree in the whole yard!