"Carolina" American Holly Ilex Opaca

American holly (Latin: Ilex opaca) is an ever-popular, highly-prized evergreen tree. It's a native North American species that you see dotted across the landscape in gardens throughout 5 through 9.

This tree loves moderate warmth and partial shade to partial sun and requires well-amended, fast-draining, rich soil. That might sound demanding. But once you meet those needs, the American holly tree will grow without asking you for anything else.

TN Wholesale Nursery recommends this tree for its inherent good nature. The species is both robust and resilient, healing quickly if it ever sustains any damage. It is wind damage-resistant, deer-resistant, frost-resistant, heat-resistant, and disease-resistant.

The American Holly Tree Is Incredibly Handsome Year-Round

This handsome evergreen tree will enliven your yard even after everything else goes dormant during the gray days of the winter season.

Its leaves are a matte, dark green color and broad--three inches long and almost two inches wide. They grow densely packed on the stems, creating abundant green foliage. The branches emerge toward the bottom of the trunk. That low growth makes Ilex opaca the first choice for many as a natural snow fence or windbreak.

The tree produces lovely cream or buttery-white flowers in springtime, April, or May, depending on the USDA zone. The blossoms each measure one to three inches across. Although relatively small, they tend to form a cluster that gives them a more prominent presence.

Those blooms will bring the berries, under one inch in diameter and orange-red, in the mid to late fall. The berries are bright and eye-catching--both to human passersby and to any winter birds who remain in the region.

Order American Holly to Add Evergreen Color to the Landscape

Ilex opaca is a handsome tree that displays year-round color. Please place your order with TN Wholesale Nursery today--we are experts in plant health; we're confident you'll agree once you see for yourself.