Deck the halls and hills with holly
By By Steve Strong / area horticulture extension agent
Dec. 11, 2002
A number of plants come to mind when conjuring up visions of festive holiday fare. Poinsettias and flowering cacti remain favorite choices for decorative table centerpieces, and there's an increasing number of conifer varieties available for Christmas trees each year.
Hollies are also another wonderful group of plants that should not be overlooked during the holiday season. Holly leaves and berries add a seasonal texture to any yuletide floral arrangement, and their wide range of forms and sizes make hollies a great choice for any Mississippi landscape.
More than 400 species of holly exist worldwide, and most are evergreen shrubs or trees native to the temperate and tropical regions of North America, South America, and Asia. Nearly all hollies are "dioecious," a Latin word for "two houses," meaning that male and female flowers are produced on different plants.
Only female holly plants will produce "berries" (fruit are not berries but actually a drupe-type like cherry), and they usually come in clusters of red, yellow, or black. Some of the more popular red-berried varieties that occur naturally in our area include the Yaupon Holly, Dahoon Holly, Possum Haw and Winterberry .
Both Possum Haw and Winterberry are among the deciduous species of hollies that drop their leaves in winter to produce a spectacular display of red or yellow fruit.
The black-fruited Gallberries may produce less attractive landscape color, however, they are quite prized by wildlife lovers as staple food sources for certain butterflies and migratory birds.
Since hollies produce separate male and female plants, there have been many attempts at hybridizing through cross-pollination. Foster Holly is one of the most widely sold landscape varieties resulting from a cross of two different species.
Plant breeders are now crossing English varieties with American and Asian types, and are coming up with all kinds of new forms and leaf textures. However, the majority of hollies still used in modern landscaping continue to be the fruitless "green meatballs" like Japanese Compacta, Chinese Carrissa and the drab Dwarf Yaupon.
Chinese Dwarf Burford remains a dependable choice for a medium size shrub with bright red fruit (8 to 10 feet high and wide at maturity) known for its landscape toughness, and for its longevity in holiday arrangements.
Unlike their spineless Japanese cousins, many of the Burford hybrids like Rotunda produce multi-needled, "burglar-proof" foliage that would deter any Grinch trying to steal Christmas.
Additional native species that may be seen nearby along wooded slopes and streambanks (Bonita, Chunky, Chickasaway) include the Serviceberry and Mountain Holly. While not widely available in the trade, these inconspicuous natives should also be considered for their contribution to wildlife habitat.
While enjoying a cup of eggnog or other favorite holiday cheer with the family this winter, it might be interesting trivia to note that holly leaves are used in South America to make a popular tea-like beverage enjoyed by many local cultures. They likely have even written songs to go along with the occasion, though I wonder if it goes anything like Fa-La-La-La-La, La-La-La-La. Happy Hollydays!
