Holly, English
Category: Downtown Arboretum
Ilex aquifolium
29 Trees
Details
Noteworthy Characteristics
Ilex aquifolium, commonly called English holly, is native to Europe, western Asia and north Africa. It is an erect, pyramidal, densely-branched, evergreen tree that typically grows to 30-50’ (less frequently to 80’) tall. It also may be trained and grown as a large shrub (10-15’ tall). Elliptic, leathery, glossy, wavy-margined, evergreen, dark green leaves (1-3” long) have large spiny teeth. Greenish-white flowers appear in May. Flowers are fragrant but generally inconspicuous. Pollinated flowers give way to berry-like red (less frequently orange or yellow) drupes (1/4” diameter) which ripen in fall and persist into winter. Birds are attracted to the fruit.
Genus name comes from the Latin name Quercus ilex for holm oak in reference to the foliage similarities (holm oak and many of the shrubs in the genus Ilex have evergreen leaves).
Specific epithet comes from the Latin word acus meaning needle and folium meaning leaf in reference to the spiny leaves.
For more information visit Missouri Botanical Garden HERE
