Treestalk 🌲 Thursday Tis the Season for Holly

Tis' the Season for Holly🎄
Holly, or European Holly to distinguish it from related species, may also be called Christmas Holly or Mexican Holly.

Planted extensively in parks, gardens and hedges, particularly for its winter berries. 
An excellent hedge plant, tolerating hard clipping and maritime exposure and forming a dense stock-proof shelter. This species is a large evergreen shrub or pyramidal tree, growing up to 25 m tall, with glossy, dark green (though occasionally variegated), wavy-edged, spiny leaves 3-10 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. On higher branches (where grazing animals pose less of a threat) the leaves have virtually no spines.

The small, fragrant white flowers 💮 each have four petals and are insect-pollinated. The fruits are globe-shaped, 7-10 mm in diameter and are normally red, but can occasionally be yellow. They each contain four seeds, are usually borne in clusters, and are eaten by birds which disperse the seeds,

Ilex aquifolium was once among the traditional woods for Great Highland bagpipes .

Ilex aquifolium. Grow your own from Seed🌱 : Lean More.
https://www.sheffields.com/…/////English-Holly/English-Holly