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Ilex opaca W. Aiton. Section: Cassinoides. Common name: American Holly, Christmas Holly, White Holly. Phenology: Apr-Jun; Sep-Oct. Habitat: In a wide variety of forests, ranging from xeric to wetland. Distribution: MA (? NS and ME), IL, MO, and OK south to c. peninsular FL (apparently naturalized only in s. FL) and TX.

ID notes: This and I. krugiana of s. Florida are our only species of Ilex that become medium to large trees.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, G, Il, Mi, NcTx, Ok, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Tx, W, WV; = Ilex opaca Aiton ssp. opaca — Clark (2023); = Ilex opaca Aiton var. opaca — Ar, Can, Fl7, GW2, K4, Mo2, NE, NY, Va, WH3, Godfrey (1988). Basionym: Ilex opaca Aiton 1789

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: FACU
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 4

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image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Collectors SOS | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Collectors SOS | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

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Height: 15-30 ft. tall, spread 10-20 ft.

plant sale text: American holly is an evergreen shrub with dark green leaves. This holly is dioecious (plants are either male or female). The female shrubs have red berries. A male shrub is needed with one male to every three females ideal. Males should be within 200 feet of females. American holly is the larval host plant for Henrys Elfin butterfly and the Ilex genus supports up to 34 species of lepidoptera. The flowers are good for pollinators and the berries for birds and small mammals.

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native range: eastern United States



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