10 ILEX AQUIFOLIUM SEEDS - CHRISTMAS HOLLY, ENGLISH HOLLY IN SOUTH AFRICA

Common Names: Christmas Holly, English Holly, European Holly, Common Holly or Holly This tall, pyramidal, evergreen tree may also be grown as a large shrub. Its evergreen, spiny foliage is leathery and glossy. Insignificant, though fragrant, flowers bloom in spring followed by red drupes that attract birds. Ilex aquifolium is the most widely grown holly but there are 500 to 600 other species worldwide. English holly is a hardy tree or shrub, capable of surviving in most conditions, except where it is extremely wet. Its distinctive spiny leaves deter grazing animals and protect birds from predators as they feed on its bright red berries. It is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants. Holly is an ideal hedging plant for many reasons. It is slow growing, so needs little maintenance, its dense form and prickly leaves are a good intruder deterrent, its berries on pollinated female plants provide food for native birds throughout the winter and it can be trimmed into a superb formal decorative hedge which provides an excellent windbreak and is also pollution resistant. Holly is also a very popular choice as a bonsai subject, requiring little effort once established.