Ilex opaca
shrubZones 5–9nativedeer resistantNative evergreen with the classic spiny dark green leaves and red berries of holiday tradition. Slow-growing pyramidal form provides year-round privacy and bird habitat.
Apply holly-specific or acid-loving plant fertilizer in spring.
Prune in early summer after new growth hardens. Save prunings with berries for holiday decorating.
Female hollies need a male within 200 feet for berry production. If no berries, consider adding a male.
Red berries persist through winter feeding bluebirds, robins, cedar waxwings, and mockingbirds. Dense evergreen foliage provides crucial winter shelter for roosting birds.
Lawn Guardian turns this guidance into a schedule timed to your USDA zone and this week's actual weather — and adapts every time you log what you've done.
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