Possumhaw, Possumhaw Holly, Deciduous Holly, Meadow Holly, Prairie Holly, Swamp Holly, Welk Holly, Deciduous Yaupon, Bearberry, Winterberry
Ilex decidua (Possumhaw) is a large multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub or small tree of spreading, rounded habit with rich silver-gray, twiggy, horizontal branches bearing lustrous, oval, toothed, dark green leaves, 2-3 in. long (5-7 cm). They turn purplish green to yellow in the fall, before shedding to the ground. Ilex decidua is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees. It produces abundant small greenish-white flowers in spring that are followed by a profusion of attractive bright orange-red berries on pollinated female plants. Extremely showy, they ripen in fall, persist throughout the winter, and enliven the winter landscape unless they are devoured by birds or opossums. Providing excellent year-round interest, Possumhaw is a popular landscape plant that can be used as a specimen, in groupings, or as an informal hedge. Both male and female plants are needed to produce attractive red berries.
| Hardiness |
5 - 9 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Shrubs, Trees |
| Plant Family | Aquifoliaceae |
| Genus | Ilex |
| Common names | Holly, Possumhaw, Possumhaw Holly |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest | Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter |
| Height | 7' - 15' (210cm - 4.6m) |
| Spread | 5' - 12' (150cm - 3.7m) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average, High |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy, Fruit & Berries |
| Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Midwest, Missouri, Southeast, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Southwest, Texas, Oklahoma |
| Tolerance | Clay Soil |
| Attracts | Birds |
| Garden Uses | Beds And Borders, Hedges And Screens, Ponds And Streams, Rain Gardens |
| Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage |
| Hardiness |
5 - 9 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Shrubs, Trees |
| Plant Family | Aquifoliaceae |
| Genus | Ilex |
| Common names | Holly, Possumhaw, Possumhaw Holly |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest | Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter |
| Height | 7' - 15' (210cm - 4.6m) |
| Spread | 5' - 12' (150cm - 3.7m) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average, High |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy, Fruit & Berries |
| Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Midwest, Missouri, Southeast, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Southwest, Texas, Oklahoma |
| Tolerance | Clay Soil |
| Attracts | Birds |
| Garden Uses | Beds And Borders, Hedges And Screens, Ponds And Streams, Rain Gardens |
| Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage |
How many Ilex decidua (Possumhaw) do I need for my garden?
| Plant | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Ilex decidua (Possumhaw) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
