Deciduous tree or shrub native to Eastern North America
Grows anywhere between 3 and 15 feet tall, and 3 and 12 feet wide depending on its maintenance.
Simple, dark green leaves are sharply toothed, shiny, and hairy, and they turn gold in the fall.
Thrives in nearly all soil and sun conditions, but generally requires acidic soil.
Resistant to fire, deer damage, heat, drought and soil disturbance.
Staple food source for rabbits, deer, and birds, as well as hosting Callophyrus henrici (Henry's elfin butterfly) and the specialized bee species, Colletes banksi.
Ingestion of fruit and leaves may cause vomitting and diarrhea.
Hardiness zone 3-9
Sentimental and Symbolic Value
Commonly used by many northeastern native American tribes as a medicine, it was known to the Iroquois as "feverbush".
Holly was held as sacred by both the Druids and Romans. In Celtic culture, it was used in many rituals and as a talisman for protection from evil spirits. The Romans used it in their festival of Saturnalia, where they celebrated the god Saturn by decorating their homes with the plant.
Early Christians adopted the Christmas tradition of decorating homes with holly from Saturnalia, as it usually took place from 17-23 December. In Christianity, it symbolizes both Christ's birth and death, its bright berries representing the light and hope of his birth, and its sharp branches recalling the Crown of Thorns.
Specimen photographed found at the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, Massachusetts. Part of the Ornamental Trees assignment (11/3/2021).
Plant History and Etymology
Ilex is word of unknown, likely non-Indo-European origin, which simply means "holm oak", and verticillata is Latin for "whorled". According to historian James William Herrick, the Iroquois of modern-day New York, Ohio and Ontario ate the plant as a cathartic, gastrointestinal aid and physchological aid, among other uses. The Ojibwa of the northern Midwest and southern Canada also took it as an antidiarrheal. After the arrival of Europeans, it quickly became a prized ornamental and many cultivars developed. It is also used as a local equivalent of European holly (Ilex aquifolium) for Christmas celebrations.
Design Considerations
Despite being deciduous, holly has high year-round visual interest and is a classic symbol of winter. Its bright red fruits are persistant throughout the winter, the time where its black, dark brown, or dark red is also very showy. Its easy to manipulate shape, low maintenance requirements and high resistance to common issues make it an ideal plant for a home garden, a border or foundation planting, or a pollinator garden. Various cultivars exist, such as female ones like 'Red Sprite' and 'Spravy' which make the fruits larger and more vibrantly colored, or male ones like 'Southern Gentleman' for pollination.
Sources
“Ilex Verticillata (Black Alder, Common Winterberry, Winterberry, Winterberry Holly) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” 2021. Ncsu.edu. 2021. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ilex-verticillata/.
“Ilex Verticillata (Common Winterberry): Go Botany.” 2021. Nativeplanttrust.org. 2021. https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/ilex/verticillata/.
“BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database.” 2021. Brit.org. 2021. http://naeb.brit.org/uses/species/1979/.
“Ilex Verticillata - Plant Finder.” 2021. Missouribotanicalgarden.org. 2021. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d440.
https://www.howstuffworks.com/hsw-contact.htm. 2007. “Why Do We Decorate with Holly at Christmas?” HowStuffWorks. November 21, 2007. https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/holly1.htm.
Mosteller, Angie (2008). Christmas. Itasca Books. pp. 86–87, 89. ISBN 9781607910084.