Ilex opaca
American holly · also Christmas holly, White holly, Yellow berried holly
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Ilex opaca, also known as American Holly, is an evergreen tree native to the eastern and central United States. It is commonly found in moist woodlands and swampy areas, featuring spiny, glossy green leaves and bright red berries that provide an important winter food source for birds. Due to its high flammability, it should not be planted near structures in fire-prone areas.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 8180.41%—6.0 in
- 720.06%17 yr15 in
- 610.01%—6.0 in
- 280.01%——
- 70.00%—9.0 in
- 30.00%—1.6 in
- 20.00%—7.5 in
- 10.00%—7.0 in
- 10.00%—15 in
Traits
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Mature height
- 40–50 ft
- Canopy spread
- 20–40 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Water needs
- Moderate
- Drought tolerance
- Moderate
- Wildlife value
- High
- Fire risk
- High
- Blooms
- Mar, Apr, May
Trunk diameters across every city: median 6.0 in, mean 8.2 in, 90th percentile 16 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests
- East Central Texas forests
- Mississippi lowland forests
- New England-Acadian forests
Other Ilex in the catalogue
17 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.
