Ilex aquifolium, the holly, common holly, English holly, European holly, or occasionally Christmas holly, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aquifoliaceae, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia. It is regarded as the type species of the genus Ilex, which by association is also called holly. It is an evergreen tree or shrub found, for example, in shady areas of forests of oak and in beech hedges. In the British Isles it is one of very few native hardwood evergreen trees. It has a great capacity to adapt to different conditions and is a pioneer species that repopulates the margins of forests or clearcuts.
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Is it poisonous?
Considered toxic. Public sources list it as such; we have not verified this individually. Leaves, bark, and berries contain a variety of potentially harmful substances including saponins, triterpenes, polyphenols, methylxanthines, and cyanogenic compounds (though the latter two do not appear to contribute… Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Ilex colchica — considered toxic
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Aquifoliales
- Family
- Aquifoliaceae
- Genus
- Ilex
- Species
- Ilex aquifolium
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