Mountain and Possumhaw American Native Hollies
When you think of holly you picture glossy pointed evergreen leaves and red berries. But there are more than 400 different hollies. Some are evergreen, others deciduous and many native to North America.
Mountain holly (Ilex mucronata) is deciduous, hardy in zones 4 to 6, and native to moist woodlands, swamps, marshes and bogs in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Upper Midwest, as well as eastern Canada.
It tolerates sun, shade and wet soil, making it a great choice for rain gardens or other wet and low-lying areas in the landscape.
Possumhaw (Ilex decidua) is another deciduous holly that is native to Maryland, Virginia and south to Florida, west to Texas and into Mexico. It’s hardy in zones 5 to 9 and more tolerant of alkaline soils than most hollies. The dull green leaves turn purplish yellow in fall, revealing orange to scarlet berries that persist through winter.
A bit more information: Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), also known as Michigan holly, is another North American native holly. All of these hollies need at least one male plant for every five female plants for pollination to occur and red berries to develop.
Related
Categories
Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars
April 3, 2024
Garden Trends
Franklin Public Library, Franklin, WI
April 10, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Container Gardening Throughout the Year
Register now
April 11, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
7 Steps to Managing Water Where it Falls in Your Yard
Register now
April 17, 2024
Landscaping for Birds:
A Gardener’s Perspective
Glendale, WI
April 18, 2024
Be a Waterwise Gardener
Golden Rondelle Theater, Racine, WI
Register now
April 20, 2024
Pruning Hydrangeas and Other Shrubs
Pasquesi Home & Gardens, Lake Bluff, IL
April 27, 2024
Ridges & Rivers Book Festival
Viroqua, WI
April 28, 2024
Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 1, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Ornamental Fruits and Vegetables
Register now
May 9, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
How to Plant Your Rain Garden
Register now
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Learn More