Ilex aquifolium, Common Holly

Common Name: Common Holly

Mature trees can grow up to 15m and live for 300 years. The bark is smooth and thin with lots of small, brown 'warts', and the stems are dark brown. 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.

Holly is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers occur on different trees. Flowers are white with four petals. They bloom any time between early spring and the very beginning of summer, depending on the climate. Once pollinated by insects, female flowers develop into scarlet berries which can remain on the tree throughout winter.

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