Growing Holly Tree: Tips at a Glance
- Type Evergreen tree
- Life Span 200-300 years
- USDA Zones 6-9
- Light Sun or some shade
- Crown Pyramidal canopy
- Location Sheltered site
- Design Tip Holiday garlands
- Other Uses Attracts birds
- Peak Season Red winter berries
Holly Trees: A Field Guide
Holly isn’t just a holiday plant; unlike poinsettia it’s interesting year-round. The gloss and spine of holly’s leaves give it a unique character, with berries as an added bonus.
Among Ilex aquifolium’s hundreds of cultivars and hybrids, there is considerable variety, in leaf shape and color as well as in the berries, which can be a striking yellow. Growth can differ too, with branches sweeping down to the ground in some varieties. Variegated holly brings light into a dark garden, the berries becoming more red as autumn progresses.