General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Tree
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 6b -20.6 °C (-5 °F) to -17.8 °C (0 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8a
Plant Height: 30 to 60 feet
Plant Spread: 15 to 30 feet
Leaves: Evergreen
Broadleaf
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Fruiting Time: Fall
Late fall or early winter
Winter
Flowers: Fragrant
Flower Color: White
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Summer
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Birds
Butterflies
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Pollinators: Bees
Various insects
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Dioecious

Image
Common names
  • European Holly
  • English Holly
  • Holly

Photo Gallery

photo credit: Jacinta Lluch Valero

Date: c. 1800-05
illustration by P. J. Redouté from Duhamel's 'Traité des arbres
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Date: December 23, 2021
English holly #18 nn; LHB page 629, 111-1-1, "Ancient Latin for Q
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Date: December 23, 2021
English holly (That's my brother Pat with Jax and Alfie for refer
Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 2015-12-15
Location: Fairfax, VA | June, 2022
Date: 2022-06-03
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-09-25
Vicious thorns to work near.  Planted by former home owners.
Photo by aleema
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-09-25
Heavily pruned bottom each Spring to clear way for light to hit s
Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18
Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2009-11-27
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-01-01
Location: The Ardennes, Belgium
Date: 2016-11-05
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-01-01
Location: Nature reserve, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-12-28
Location: Brooklyn Botanic Garden
credit: Gardenology.org
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-01-11
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-01-11
Location: Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid
photo credit: A. Barra
This plant is tagged in:
Image

Comments:
  • Posted by Bonehead (Planet Earth - Zone 8b) on Dec 1, 2013 2:47 PM concerning plant:
    English holly is a non-native plant in the Pacific Northwest that has escaped into the wild, but is not yet classified as invasive. It is currently a plant 'of concern' and is being monitored. I am finding several seedlings in the understory of a Douglas fir stand on our property, apparently planted by the birds. So far, I am allowing them to grow as they are a good visual screen barrier between us and the neighbors and will grow in deep shade. I will, however, pull those I may find in our field or back woods. Birds like the berries, and they provide nice plant material for the holiday season.
  • Posted by Mindy03 (Delta KY) on Apr 16, 2012 1:49 PM concerning plant:
    Honey bees get nectar from this plant.
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WebTucker On December 23, 2021 Obtained plant
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