The Crown Jewel of Horticulture: Ilex opaca, American Holly
- Sue Hunter
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
Sue Hunter, Owner, Heartwood Nursery
Popular throughout history for Christmas greens and bright red berries, Ilex opaca, American Holly, has been harvested for cut branches over the past century to near extinction in much of its natural range.
American Holly is an evergreen native species that matures into statuesque, sentinel trees that can live over 300 years. Her berries provide food for birds and small mammals and pollen for honey bees. The dense, evergreen foliage provides great cover for wildlife, with spiny leaves protecting small birds and mammals from larger predators and the elements.
American Hollies are beautiful year round, but as the days turn colder and shorter, they come into their full glory, with their glistening dark green leaves and glowing red berries. In my view, American Hollies, both female and male trees, are the unrivaled crown jewel of the horticultural world around the globe.
At Heartwood, we’re proud to be leading advocates for American Holly. We’re the largest propagator of American Holly in the United States, and our Holly Forest, including over 75 mature American Hollies, is a Holly Society of America Certified Arboretum and Test Center.
When I began my horticulture career in the late 1980s, I didn't anticipate becoming a leading professional propagator of Ilex opaca. Upon reflection, though, maybe there were early signs… In fourth grade, I was selected to be the Holly Girl in our school Christmas play, for which I spent hours making a holly costume out of a paper bag with green and red construction paper leaves and berries pasted all over it. Later in the 1960s and 1970s, I loved visiting the Millville Holly Farm every year with my family on our way to Ocean City, NJ.
In the 1980s, the nursery trade focused mainly on species from Europe and Asia. Researchers and plant breeders competed to develop the latest hybrids and crosses, trying to claim the best looking plants, the biggest berries, the prettiest flowers. The market was then, and still is, flooded with a carnival of non-native plant material that has forever changed our landscape and natural ecosystem.
I went in the opposite direction: native plants. I started my native tree nursery in 1987 in the basement of my home with a 3’ x 3’ cold frame built from leftover baseboard and a fluorescent light from the hardware store tied to the ceiling with bungee cords.
The first crop I sowed in a wooden flat were wild Black Cherry, Prunus serotina, seeds I had collected from the woods behind my house. The next spring, every seed had germinated and the black cherry were growing quickly. Within weeks I sold every seedling to another nursery for resale. I was addicted to woody propagation.
When I gained a reputation as an intuitive propagator of over 300 native species, the retail and commercial production of Ilex opaca became a top focus for me, because of the wonderful aesthetic value of the mature plants and their great benefits for wildlife and birds.
Today Heartwood propagates over 20,000 American Holly plants yearly for nursery businesses and organizations.
At the nudging of a colleague, I joined the Holly Society of America and have served as Executive Director/President for 13 years. I use this platform to increase awareness of Hollies' many positive attributes and to connect with horticulture and educational institutions to broaden their programs to include Hollies.
I believe we’re at the point where almost every species of native plant needs an advocate. I’ve been an advocate for the American Holly most of my life, not only propagating it, but also writing botanical articles, giving presentations, incorporating scientific data and hands-on labs into my college teaching, participating in countless horticulture shows, and giving tours and talks about this spectacular native plant species.
Want to catch some fresh air and birdsong among Hollies in their seasonal glory? Join me on Sunday, December 7, for a walk and talk in our Holly Forest, featuring over 75 American Hollies. Details at The Holidays at Heartwood.
