Identifying Characteristics
| Size/Form: | American holly is a medium-sized tree that reaches heights of 30 to 50 feet. It has a pyramidal crown. |
| Leaves: | The leaves are simple, alternately arranged, persistent, and 2 to 4 inches long by 1 to 2 inches wide. The oblong-shaped leaves usually have smooth, leathery upper surfaces and smooth, yellowish-green surfaces underneath. The leaf base is rounded or wedged and the tip is sharply pointed. The margin often has several stiff, thorny spines all the way around, although a branch will generally include a few leaves with no spines. |
| Twigs: | Twigs are slender and coated with a rust-colored pubescence. The small, pointed buds are reddish-brown in color. |
| Bark: | The thin, gray bark is roughened by a wart-like texture. |
| Flowers: | The inconspicuous flowers are green or white in color and give off a pleasant fragrance. |
| Fruit: | The fruits are red, round berry-like drupes about ¼ inch in diameter. The fruits appear in clusters, but only on female trees. |
Similar Trees on the Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest List:
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