Plant Features: American Holly

American Holly – Ilex opaca: A small to medium sized tree. Leaves alternate, persistant, simple, 2-4 inches longa and 1-2 inches wide. Leaf margin is wavy with stout, stiff, sharp spines.

Fruit is a spherical red berrylike drupe about .25 inches in diameter, each containing several 1 seeded nutlets.

Bark is Gray and thin with wartlike structures.

Range from Massachusetts to Florida to Texas, Illinois.

Fruit is used extensively by some songbirds and thrashers.