PlantFiles: English Holly
Ilex aquifolium

Holly is an attractive easy plant. Make sure to water when establishing or plants may fail, which happened to me a few times.

Plants do well if planted in large groupings. More flowers and berries.

Mine are growing in part sun in sweet soil. The ones in the deeper shade have more and darker leaves than the ones in the most sun. The ones in the most sun have the most flowers and berries.

I haven't observed animals eating the berries but have seem baby birds sheltering and animals making burrows in the crowns of the plants.

I garden in the Mid-Atlantic area of the U.S, and Holly truly does wear the crown! Evergreen leaves lovely all year, especially when covered by snow. Bright red berries of course. Cut branches make wonderful Christmas arrangements.

A superb plant for, and attractive to, wildlife; prickly leaves guard birds and small mammals, and berries provide food. Seems to prefer sun and acidic soil, however, very adaptable and easy to grow. May self-sow and create seedlings nearby. Seedlings are rare though, and not at all nuisance-like, give to a friend or keep for yourself.

Sun or partial shade. Needs protection from sun in hot, dry areas. For good fruit set a male shrub is needed. Over 200 cultivars! They may be grouped as non-variegated (green-leaved) or variegated.