Lusterleaf  Holly  (Ilex latifolia)

Fall has come to the arboretum. The tea viburnums are heavy with succulent red berries. There’s a bumper crop this year. Holly boughs are covered with red berries, just in time for holiday decorating. The dry grasses sway in the breeze.

There are many kinds of hollies in the arboretum. One of the largest is the Lusterleaf Holly (Ilex latifolia). This holly grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide. It is pyramidal and holds its leaves to the ground. The thick, leathery leaves are the largest of all the hollies, measuring 4-6 inches by 2-3 inches. Another common name for this tree is Magnolia-leaf  Holly. The lustrous dark green leaves hold their color year round.

Clusters of dull red berries almost surround the stem. This tree is easy to grow in full sun to partial shade and dry to moist soil, if well-drained.

It’s very adaptable to soil and pH.  The Lusterleaf  Holly is a great screening plant, lovely specimen, or shiny green background plant. Ours is near the overlook garden.