Ilex Species, Possum Haw, Deciduous Holly, Winterberry, Meadow Holly, Swamp Holly

In January and February, one can see hundreds of these dotting the side of Airline Highway (a.k.a. Highway 61) between LaPlace and Gonzal...Read Morees, Louisiana. (About 1 in 4 specimens have salmon-orange berries rather than the usual deep red ones.) Once your eyes learn to spot them amidst the red-budded maple trees, you will see tons of I. decidua. A pretty easily-missed tree at other times of the year. Overall, there's nothing wrong with this tree at all, other than the fact that it's basically just a non-evergreen Ilex vomitoria. I'm not sure why anyone would prefer a tree that is bare in winter over one that is evergreen. I would like to grow one of the orange-berried specimens, but apparently this tree takes lots of patience to grow from seeds, and of course only females will end up berrying. Plus, it's almost impossible to ever find seedlings underneath a parent tree, which always mystifies me. (Similarly, I can almost never find baby bald cypresses under parent bald cypresses.)

Easily grown, BUT berries only on female plants. Of 25 I planted, only 2 were girls!!! Will try softwood cuttings...

I saw this shrub at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden last week and offered great winter interest in the snowy landscape. Has anyone ever had s...Read Moreuccess with this plant in Maine? I'd like to try it.

Native possumhaw also grows quite well in our alkaline soils (developed on Cretaceous chalk) in NE Mississippi. Our 30+ acres of pasture...Read More, fencerow forest and seasonal wetlands have thriving specimens in every light condition from deep shade to full sun. They're flourishing in our whole gamut of soil water conditions, from moderately dry to downright waterlogged. Even without heavy berrying, its gumdrop-tree growth habit and silvery bark are gorgeous in the winter.