The Hollies - on campus

Family: AQUIFOLIACEAE the holly family

Holly or Ilex vomitoria though we are considering all the types on the FSU campus in this posting.

The Holly (Ilex) genus is popular among landscape architects, nurserymen and home gardeners. Botanists recognize approximately 470 taxa including 20 American Holly species, 120 Oriental species, and nearly 200 varieties of the English Holly. Many of the cultivars establish wild self-sustaining population in fields and near planted areas. The fruit are commonly dispersed by frugiverous birds. Shrubs or trees, mostly evergreen. Not all hollies have spiny leaves like the ones we associate with Christmas wreaths. There are least 5 varieties or species of tree sized hollies on campus.

Description: Shrub or small tree to 20+ m in height, mostly evergreen. Flowers: Flowers usually unisexual, usually 4-merous; petals connate at base. Stamens sometimes slightly united at base. Fruit: Usually globose and often bright red. Leaves:Usually alternate.

Similar to: This variable group of species likely to be similar to many other taxa but the fruit and flowers are often distinctive

 East Palatka Holly ( Ilex x attenuata 'East Palatka') growing at Rovetta Hall this is a natural hybrid between Dahoon Holly (Ilex cassine) and Amercian Holly (Ilex opaca) that was discovered in 1927 growing near East Palatka,Florida

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A clickable map of all holly species and cultivars that have the size of a tree on FSU grounds in Tallahassee