Holly is the common name for a group of shrubs and small trees. The two best-known hollies, the American holly and the English holly, are evergreen trees. These two hollies have glossy green leaves and red berries that are used to make attractive Christmas wreaths. In the past, holly was used in houses and churches at Christmastime, and was called holy tree. The word holly may have come from this name.
There are hundreds of species (kinds) of hollies. They grow in many temperate and tropical regions of the world. About 15 species are native to the United States and Canada. The American holly is usually 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 meters) tall. Its dark green leaves have a leathery surface and spines along the edges. It grows throughout most of the eastern United States. The red fruits are not real berries, but drupes, which are fruits with stones. They appear only on the pistillate (female) trees. Holly berries are poisonous.
The English holly is a favorite ornamental tree in the United Kingdom. Sometimes it is planted in hedges. The white flowers of the holly bloom in May, the same month as those of another hedge plant, the hawthorn. Together, they make the English countryside white with blossoms.
Holly wood is very hard and has a close grain. It is valuable for musical instruments, furniture, and interior decoration. The inner bark yields the sticky material called birdlime. The leaves of a South American species are used to make a tealike drink called maté.
