Ilex opaca - American Holly

Plant Expert:

Michael Dirr

Ilex opaca

Common Names:
American Holly

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Origin:
	Massachusetts to Florida, west to Missouri and Texas

Sun/Water Requirements:

Partial/Full sun.
Moderate climate.
Dirr says: "Denser in full sun prefers moderately fertile, moist, loose, acid, well-drained soil; does not tolerate poor drainage under cultivation"

Climate / Hardiness Zones:

Zone 5 to Zone 9

Dirr says: "avoid extremely dry, windy, unprotected places; American Holly is more cold hardy than given credit but is not wind tolerant; cold hardy selections should withstand -20 to -25°F; in Illinois I have seen winters were virtually all the leaves were removed from plants yet the stem and bud tissue survived and a new flush of growth covered the scars of winter. Have seen chlorosis in high pH soils. Air pollution tolerant."

Growth:

Range: Grows from 30' to 50'.
Dirr says: "15 to 30' in height is reasonable under normal landscape conditions, densely pyramidal in youth with branches to the ground, many trees maintaining a symmetrically conical to cylindric crown at maturity, also becoming in age open, irregular and picturesque. Prune in winter. Microclimate can make a big difference in plant performance; good growth in protected locations; much less in exposed locations."

Flowers:
	Season(s): Late Spring Dirr says: "about the latest evergreen holly to flower, May in Athens"

Foliage:
	Broadleaf Evergreen Color: Leaves are dark green and green in the summer. Dirr says: "dull to dark yellow or olive green; great variation among trees but, in general, not a particularly handsome leaf; use superior lustrous dark green-leaved cultivars."

Fruit:
	Color: Red Season(s): Fall, Winter Dirr says: "use 1 male for every 2 to 3 females for pollination; requires male and female for fruit set. Berry-like, dull red rounded drupe, 1/4 to 1/2" diameter, maturing in October and persisting into winter; fruit display can be spectacular on good selections. "

Landscape Value:
	Can be used as a specimen plant. Can be used as a hedge plant. Can be used as a grouping plant. Dirr says: "I feel there are too many superior hollies to justify extensive use of this species but the list of culivars is endless; on the East Coast and South this is a favored plant: again, do not use seedlings; use one of many superior cultivars."

Other:
	Is Urban Tolerant

Other Ilex opaca References & Articles:

Deciduous Hollies
Possumhaw holly, Ilex decidua, has an upright, spreading habit with an ultimate height of 30 feet in the wild, usually 20 ... American holly, Ilex opaca, is said to pollinate this species.

Using Evergreens as Screens in Tennessee
A few good evergreen choices for use as screens in Tennessee include Leyland cypress, Japanese Cryptomeria, White Fir, Eastern Red Cedar and American Holly.

Waiting for Spring: Winter Interest at the National Arboretum
Hollies that are native to the United States include American holly (Ilex opaca) selections and the deciduous, winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata, Zone 5 – 9), which boasts clusters of red ...

State Trees
American holly (Ilex opaca) state tree of DELAWARE ... American holly plays a major role in the horticulture industry, and there are over 1,000 different cultivars -- many of them hybrids with ...

Good Hedges Make Good Neighbors
... beautiful a mixed row of spruce, pines, and hollies would look or, on a smaller scale, juniper, arborvitae ... Ilex opaca 'Jersey Princess' — Full sun or light shade, moist well-drained soil.

State Tree and Flower
Kalmia latifolia 1907 Delaware (DE) Tree American holly Ilex opaca 1939 Flower peach blossom Prunus ... Flower American Beauty rose Rosa 'American Beauty' Florida (FL) Tree cabbage ...

USNA Other Internet Resources
Perennial Plant Association The American Boxwood Society American Daffodil Society American Conifer Society American Homerocallis Society Locate your State Cooperative ...

Main Collections Page
... & Watnong Collections, Spruces, Firs, Japanese Maples) Holly and Magnolia Collections National Bonsai & Penjing Museum ... (Japanese, Chinese, North American, and International Pavilions)

Herb Garden
... Garden where dwarf versions of Japanese holly, juniper, and arborvitae are woven into a ... The Native American Garden, Colonial Garden, Asian Garden, and Dioscorides Garden depict the herbs ...

Fern Questions and Answers
The variegated holly fern, Arachnoides simplicior var. ... The American Fern Society is the leading organization in North America devoted to ferns and fern allies.

Ilex opaca is hardy in these areas:

Alameda, CA	Alamo, CA	Alsip, IL
American Canyon, CA	Angwin, CA	Antioch, CA
Baltimore, MD	Bayside, NY	Bronx, NY
Brooklyn, NY	Brownsville, TX	Canton, MI
Chicago, IL	Cicero, IL	College Point, NY
Conneaut, OH	Corona, NY	Danville, CA
Detroit, MI	Dorset, OH	East Claridon, OH
East Elmhurst, NY	Ecorse, MI	Elmhurst, NY
Elmwood Park, IL	Elyria, OH	Essex, CA
Evergreen Park, IL	Fawnskin, CA	Ferndale, MI
Florence, SC	Flushing, NY	Fontana, CA
Forest Falls, CA	Forest Hills, NY	Fort Eustis, VA
Fresh Meadows, NY	Glen Burnie, MD	Gwynn Oak, MD
Harper Woods, MI	Harrison Township, MI	Hunt Valley, MD
Jackson Heights, NY	Leasburg, NC	Lexington, NC
Liberty, NC	Linwood, NC	Little Neck, NY
Ludlow, CA	Macomb, MI	Marysville, MI
Maspeth, NY	Memphis, MI	Mercedes, TX
Middle Village, NY	Mission, TX	Modesto, CA
Moreno Valley, CA	Morgantown, WV	Mount Clemens, MI
New Baltimore, MI	New Haven, MI	New York, NY
Newport News, VA	North Ridgeville, OH	North Street, MI
Oakland Gardens, NY	Olmito, TX	Penitas, TX
Pharr, TX	Phelan, CA	Philadelphia, PA
Pikesville, MD	Pinon Hills, CA	Port Isabel, TX
Progreso, TX	Redlands, CA	Rego Park, NY
Rialto, CA	Ridgewood, NY	Rimforest, CA
Riverdale, IL	Saratoga, CA	Soquel, CA
Sparrows Point, MD	Staten Island, NY	Taylor, MI
Temperance, MI	Temple City, CA	Towson, MD
Trenton, MI	Tres Pinos, CA	Upland, CA
Virginia Beach, VA	Walnut, CA	Watsonville, CA
Wayne, MI	Westland, MI	Whitestone, NY
Whitmore Lake, MI

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