American holly
Ilex opaca
USDA zones5 to 9
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to wet soil
Size15 to 30 feet tall10 to 20 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Creamy white
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acidic (pH<6.8)
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
American holly (Ilex opaca) is a tree for specimen planting, hedges, privacy screens, and winter interest. It is hardy to USDA zone 5, or down to -20°F (-29°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to wet soil of most types. Female plants bear bright red berries, but you need a male of the same species nearby to get fruit. It sits low on the menu for deer. This slow-growing evergreen feeds many birds, though the berries are poisonous to humans.
Pairs well with Spicebush, Sedge, Big bluestem, and Dogwood.
Native range
Eastern and central United States.