We have more winter flowers to enjoy and that is the holly bush. These winter flowers do not actually produce flowers they give us beautiful berries. Most often we think of the holly as a bush or shrub with spiky, lustrous green leaves and red berries. But there are many different types of holly bushes and are most often affiliated with Christmas here in the Americas and also in Europe. 

We are very familiar with the holly leaves that are used for decorating at Christmas, but did you know that the genus Ilex has roughly 600 species of holly trees and bushes? They can range from 6 inch dwarf holly bushes to 70 foot holly trees. Their leaves can either be spined or spineless, and the colors range from dark green to light green and some are variegated. The berries can be other than red such as yellow, orange, or black. Some are deciduous and some are evergreen.

They can be found in just about every region of the world. The extreme growing conditions in Antarctica and Australia are too much for holly plant to handle. There are species of holly found in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. There are over 200 types of holly bushes that are native to China alone, and the most amount of species are in the subtropical areas of the Americas and Asia.

The needs that you have will determine which species of holly shrubs to plant. If you want privacy you can plant a hedge of holly bushes, this will keep people from looking in on you and provide you with a beautiful scenic view at the same time. If you want some shade, an English tree might be what you want but make sure you give it plenty of room because they will grow very large. They also have a massive root system, so plant away from underground pipes and cables. They make good hedges and privacy screens. The evergreen species, especially the ones with the bright colored berries, provide interest in any winter garden.

Holly bushes are also an excellent choice in a garden if you want to attract wildlife. They provide protection and shelter from the predators of many birds. The thorns on most holly shrubs are quite helpful in some ways. Many of the songbirds will hide under the branches for protection; those thorns will keep predators away. The holly bush berries supply food for both the birds and wild animals. Wild turkeys will also eat the holly bush berries if there is no other source of food close by. There are other fruit eaters that may come for a visit such as the opossum, raccoons, and mice. The holly leaves are eaten by all herbivore creatures, particularly in the winter. The thorns that are on the leaves of the holly bush will not injure the mouths of these animals while chewing.

Holly bushes are classified as dioecious plants, which mean the plants are either male or female. If you want female plants to produce berries, they must be planted within a 30 foot range of a male plant. The male pollinates the female branches and will produce berries each year. If you do not have both sexes of the plant you will still have a healthy plant but no berries. You should be careful when planting holly bush if you want berries. They are very toxic to human beings.

With a little bit of holly bush care you should have no problems growing a healthy garden species. They grow best in full sun, but there are some species that like shade. Holly shrubs like an acidic soil with plenty of organic matter and good drainage. Some species of holly cannot handle cold winters but others love it. The best time for pruning holly bushes is in the fall or winter. Their branches need to be trimmed in order for new growth in the spring. This pruning will also help the plant grow thicker foliage the next year.