If asked “What plant best symbolizes the winter season?”, most people might say “Christmas trees”, but a fair number might instead suggest holly. Several species of holly are native to North America. Most are evergreen, have thick, somewhat shiny leaves that are resistant to colder climates, and are bordered and tipped with sharp points that protect the leaves from winter plant “munchers”, and in winter bear small red fruits that add to their winter holiday appeal. The fruits are eaten by many bird species and the seeds inside the fruits are deposited with a bit of fertilizer to begin growth in the spring. Some holly species grow into large trees. Others remain shrub-sized. Many are sold and planted throughout North America – including in south Florida. But the only holly that is native to south Florida is dahoon holly – generally a small tree or shrub that is at home in shaded wetlands such as at Corkscrew Sanctuary and areas within the Everglades ecosystem. While dahoon holly has thick, heavy, evergreen leaves – characteristic of hollies, dahoon holly leaves have a pointed tip, but are relatively long and have no pointed barbs along the leaf blades as on the leaves of other holly species.
Holly
