Now that we know not to fall for the fake invasive Brazilian Pepper tree, what are the options for growing a real holly in Central Florida? And will they be adorned with bright red berries in the fall and winter?
The good news is that we do have native holly options available to us. We have at least four hollies which can decorate our yards and produce clusters of red berries. Since these native trees attract birds and wildlife, they can be pretty rewarding to grow. All are cold tolerant and require little pruning.
The most well-known holly tree is the American Holly, which has spiky green leaves, a dense canopy, and red berries. Growing from 35-50 feet tall, It can be a useful specimen or screening plant if needed. Its smooth light gray bark is attractive. Though less tolerant of hotter climates, it takes drought better than the other two main choices. Because of this, I would not have even tried to grow this one if I had not received two free trees. My trees were given plenty of water during the establishment period, and they both grew into large specimens. Soil should be moist and slightly acidic, and sandy soil is okay. The American Holly has no significant pests. It prefers sun to part shade and provides berries in the fall, as long as you have both a male and a female tree near each other.
This requirement for getting berries is true for all of the native hollies. It takes two. The best way to know that you have the right combination is to buy a female tree when it actually has berries on it. Then purchase one labeled male as well. One male tree can actually support more than one female, so don’t hesitate to buy however many females you want.
Our second choice is the native Dahoon Holly, which is the one pictured above. Native to wetlands, it needs moist soil and can even take some flooding. A dry site would require irrigation. In its favored environment, the Dahoon Holly is heat tolerant all the way to zone 11. Reaching a height of 20 to 40 feet, it can grow in sun or part shade. This tree not only has smooth pale gray bark, but it even possesses smooth leaves without spines. There are only a few slight serrations near the leaf tips.
Our third holly choice has an interesting history. In 1927, a female specimen of East Palatka Holly was found in the woods of East Palatka, Florida. It was thought to be a natural hybrid of the Dahoon Holly and the American Holly. Since then, nurseries have been producing more of these hybrids, which have been made available to the public. These trees are all female, and they will require either a male American or Dahoon Holly to produce the many berries. The leaves possess one spine on the tip, along with a few along the leaf blade edge. Leaves are not shiny like those of its two relatives. It grows from 30 to 45 feet tall.
Unfortunately, the East Palatka Holly has often been pruned to death in urban landscapes, contracting a fungal disease called “witches broom”. The pruning provides an entry point for the disease, which is then transmitted by contaminated pruning equipment. While all hollies are subject to witches’ broom, landscaping companies have not been planting and pruning the other hollies, so it is rarely seen in those. If planted in the right place, a holly requires only removal of dead and dying branches. Disinfect pruners after each tree.
Yet another choice is the Yaupon Holly. This one has smaller leaves and also produces berries which can be red, orange, or yellow. As with all hollies, you need a male and a female, and it is good to buy them when berries are present. Some dwarf cultivars such as Schillings are all-male. The Yaupon is good through zone 9b and is drought tolerant.
