About this Holly

With its prickly evergreen leaves holly is possibly the easiest Scottish tree to recognise.

With its prickly evergreen leaves holly is possibly the easiest Scottish tree to recognise, although in mature trees the leaves can be quite smooth. It occurs naturally as an understorey in deciduous woodlands.

Its clean white wood is popular for use as inlays in furniture making.

Holly has separate male and female plants, only the female bearing the lustrous red berries that have become a part of  midwinter and Christmas festive decorations.

(Image by Gavin Harris)

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