“Deck the hall with boughs of holly” to celebrate the season and brighten the long winter months. The foliage of the American holly is a natural choice, for combining with cedar on a grapevine wreath, weaving amidst twinkling lights on porch railings or decorating a festive tabletop before the arrival of the Christmas goose. You won’t want to leave out this all-organic ornament from your trimmings.

The Ilex opaca is one the loveliest trees in our evergreen inventory. Don’t overlook this native, for planting in a home pocket garden, or massing as an effective windbreak or visual screen. Known for a pyramidal shape, spiny-tipped leaves and clusters of red berries appearing on pollinated female plants, the American holly requires little maintenance once established in full sun to part shade. Note characteristics of wild holly in that foliage density depends on the amount of sun exposure.

On a bright, sunny day, the holly is a stunner. This tree loves acidic soil and displays that pleasure with shiny, deep green foliage. Planted in alkaline (high pH) soil, its leaves may yellow without conditioning. Select a planting site with good drainage as this holly is not a fan of soggy feet. In nature, holly is found growing as an understory tree or shrub in moist, deciduous forests.

Both male and female holly trees bloom. A male plant must be planted near a female for cross-pollination to occur, ensuring better fruit production on female plants. Holly is insect pollinated.

Buzz online to find publications on the natural partnership between the American holly and one of our favorite pollinator heroes, the honeybee. Honeybees, with their industrious work habits and hairy bodies, distribute an abundance of pollen while visiting holly flowers. Honey made from holly nectar has a floral scent.

Holly has many other attractive and distinguishing qualities. Although a leaf’s teeth ridge may prick a thumb, a holly’s bark is nearly smooth and olive green to grey in color. The tough, hard wood is one of the whitest known and often used for fancy decking inlay and scroll work. This tree even makes its own mulch in spring, when holly naturally sheds some leaves to form more at bloom time.

Numerous species of songbirds eye the green berries as a future food source and seek out the ripened fruit in winter for a colorful snack. Migrating birds, such as the handsome cedar waxwing, ensure a healthy dispersal of seeds. Deer and cattle may graze on the low bowing branches raising the tree’s skirt, where understory trees like the dogwood find it effortless to grow.

Learn the rewards of being ever-green through local horticultural education programs, open to all willing to dedicate time.

Kristi Hendricks is a graduate of Shepherd College and West Virginia University and a Master Gardener with the Virginia Cooperative Extension. She can be reached at belowthejames@yahoo.com.