Holly is an evergreen shrub with spiked, glossy leaves. It is fairly widespread throughout Exeter and is very easy to identify when you do find one. The bright red berries are probably the most known thing about Holly, but during the spring they have lovely white flowers which are great for bees. The berries are poisonous to us, but often gobbled up by hungry blackbirds.

Mature Holly trees can grow up to 15m and live for over 300 years. The bark is very smooth and thin with numerous small, brown marks. The stems are typically dark brown, but can also be green.

A variegated variety of Holly - which means the leaves have the white / yellow markings 

A busy honey bee pollinating the flowers

The leaves are dark green, glossy and oval. Younger plants have spiky leaves, but the leaves of older trees are much more likely to be smooth. Leaves in the upper parts of the tree are also likely to be smooth.

Flowers of Holly

The flowers are beginning to form into the fruit (berries)

Holly is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers occur on different trees. The flowers are white with four petals. So if you have a Holly bush / tree and it doesn't seem to have any berries in the Autumn then it will be male.

A close up of the young fruit

A close up of the leaves

Once pollinated by insects the female flowers develop into red berries, which can remain on the tree throughout winter. Most of the berries are eaten by birds.

PHOTOS

OTHER USEFUL DATA

The Biodiversity Heritage Library

The Biodiversity Heritage Library

Illustration by Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen

Will's cigarettes tree card - credit to cigcardpix via Flickr

Lambert & Butler cigarettes tree card - credit to cigcardpix via Flickr

Gallaher's cigarettes tree card - credit to cigcardpix via Flickr

Will's cigarettes tree card - credit to cigcardpix via Flickr

Brooke Bond tea (scanned from personal collection)

Brooke Bond tea (scanned from personal collection)

Carbon performance certificate by Treeconomics for Barcham Pro Trees

Carbon capture data by Treeconomics for Barcham Pro Trees

OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES

www.barcham.co.uk

www.treeguideuk.co.uk

www.chewvalleytrees.co.uk

www.vdberk.co.uk

https://powo.science.kew.org

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

QUICK FACTS

• Holly is an evergreen shrub with distinct spiked, glossy leaves
• The mistle thrush is known for vigorously guarding the berries of holly in winter, to prevent other birds from eating them
  
• Mature trees can grow up to 15m and live for 300 years
  
• It is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers occur on different trees. Flowers are white with four petals
  
•  once pollinated by insects, female flowers develop into red berries, which often remain on the tree throughout winter
  
• It is native in the UK and across Europe, north Africa and western Asia
  
• It is commonly found in woodland, scrub and hedgerows, especially in oak and beech woodland
  
• Popular as an ornamental shrub, holly is widely planted in parks and gardens
  
• There are many cultivated forms featuring alternative foliage and berry colours. Between 400 - 600 in fact!
  
• Holly provides dense cover and good nesting opportunities for birds
  
• Its deep, dry leaf litter may be used by hedgehogs and small mammals for hibernation
  
• The flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinating insects
  
• The leaves are eaten by caterpillars of the holly blue butterfly, along with those of various moths including the yellow barred brindle, double-striped pug and the holly tortrix.
  
• The smooth leaves found at the tops of holly trees are a winter source of food for deer
  
• The berries are a vital source of food for birds in winter, and are also eaten by small mammals such as wood mice and dormice
  
• Holly branches have long been used to decorate homes in winter
  
• The tree was seen as a fertility symbol and a charm against witches, goblins and the devil
  
• It was thought to be unlucky to cut down a holly tree
  
• Holly wood is the whitest of all woods, and is heavy, hard and fine grained
  
• It can be stained and polished and is used to make furniture or in engraving work
  
• It is commonly used to make walking sticks
  
• Holly wood also makes good firewood and burns with a strong heat
  
• Holly branches are still used to decorate homes and make wreaths at Christmas
  
• Holly leaf miner may cause damage to foliage and holly leaf blight may cause dieback
  
• Leaves of some holly species are used by some cultures to make daily tea
  
• Holly leaves, if eaten, might cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach and intestinal problems
  
• Holly plants might be toxic to pets and livestock

PLEASE LEAF ME ANY FEEDBACK / COMMENTS

If there is anything out of place or wrong please contact me. Equally if there is anything you wish to add please let me know. The more information we have about Holly the better. Many thanks!

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