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Found a good looking Ilex opaca!

treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

American holly is a pretty rare site around my neck of the woods. I was excited to find this tree just down the road from my house the other day. I'm going to ask the property owner if they don't mind me removing the vines that are choking it as well as taking some cuttings to try and root. I have some cultivars planted on the property that I am trialing, but would love some stock known to survive and do well in my area. Looks like the tree is a "triple trunker".

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Comments (7)

tlbean2004
9 years ago
Yes please inquire about removing those ugly vines!
davidrt28 (zone 7)
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Looks good and green after this cold winter. They have an odd distribution to me. Clumps here and there. For example on the Elk Neck peninsula state park, the kalmias seems to colonize any break in the woods they can get their hands on, or I should say seeds. And they line the road to the lighthouse. The hollies are more selective about where they take up residence.

I guess you mean they are neither planted in gardens much nor found in the wild?
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treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY
Original Author
9 years ago
Yes, they are rarely seen in gardens around here. I don't think they are native to my area. Perhaps down by the PA state line in the Allegheny region, but not up this way that I know of. This tree makes two I. opaca that I know of around here. The other is half this one's size/age.
treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY
Original Author
9 years ago
Kalmia are equally rare!
treebird101
9 years ago
American Holly can actually grow in a lot colder zones than people realize. I have several small ones I am growing here in Iowa zone 5 with no problem. On really cold winters it gets down to -30 to -35. Of course those are the extremes, the average hits -15 to -20. I originally moved here from PA and they were very common out there. One of the most beautiful trees in the winter. Ilex Opaca is very hard to find in the nursery trade. You can check out Forrest Farm or Holly Ridge Nursery. There is a Nursery in Butler, PA called Orlando Pride Nursery where they bred several cultivars to take heavy snow loads and put up with the extreme cold.
treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY
Original Author
9 years ago
Treebird, I too am finding out they can be quite cold hardy. My young trees on the property came from Holly Ridge Nursery. Holly Ridge also carries many of the Orlando Pride varieties.
PRO
KD Landscape
9 years ago
Love Ilex opaca and we do see it here in the Chicago area from time to time, but mostly in established areas with some protection and in soils that are not heavy clay. Good luck with your efforts!

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