Tree · Aquifoliaceae Draft — unreviewed
American holly
Ilex opaca Aiton
Native evergreen holly with spiny matte leaves and red winter berries on female trees. A dense pyramidal screen that tolerates coastal conditions.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 9–15 m (30–49 ft) tall and 5–9 m (16–30 ft) wide; slow growth, about 35 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.12) from the BB-2in install size.
Design notes
- Plants are male or female: specify female cultivars for berries and include a male within about 30 m.
- Avoid poorly drained and alkaline soils.
Regions
Native range: Eastern U.S. from Massachusetts to Florida and Texas.
Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Inkberry
Ilex glabra · Shrub · 1.5–2.4 m (5–8 ft)
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata · Shrub · 1.8–3 m (6–10 ft)
Red maple
Acer rubrum · Tree · 12–18 m (39–59 ft)
Sugar maple
Acer saccharum · Tree · 15–22 m (49–72 ft)
Downy serviceberry
Amelanchier arborea · Tree · 5–8 m (16–26 ft)
River birch
Betula nigra · Tree · 12–18 m (39–59 ft)
Plan with American holly
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.