And they are appropriate to winter and the holiday season because of the attractive, deep-green foliage on American hollies in winter and the decorative, bright-red berries on female plants of both these related species.

Wild American hollies grow sparingly in woods along the Susquehanna River in Lancaster and York counties, including on the Lower Susquehanna’s islands. And they are common in forests in Maryland and farther south.

Interestingly, many American holly trees have leaf-covered shapes that resemble partly opened umbrellas. Those trees offer shelter to small birds from snow, rain, cold wind, and predators.   

American hollies have thick leaves throughout the year, which add to their winter beauty. And that appealing foliage highlights the eye-catching red berries on green-leafed female hollies through winter and into early spring.

Individual plants of both these related kinds of hollies are either male or female. Pollen blows from male flowers onto female blooms, which form green berries that grow and ripen to bright, wonderful red. If people want lovely holly berries of either kind on their lawns, they must plant at least one male plant among the females.

Winterberries shed their leaves in autumn and are bare through winter, exposing the females’ red berries to our adoring eyes. This holly’s habitat is in swamps of bare, deciduous trees.

The females’ scarlet berries are a readily noticeable, inspiring highlight in those woods through winter and into spring. These shrubs grow up to about 10 feet high and bear many berries that brighten their wooded habitats.

Raccoons, opossums, rodents, and other kinds of mammals ingest many holly berries through winter and into early spring. And a variety of berry-eating birds — including American robins, starlings, cedar waxwings, and other species — consume many of them as well. I’ve seen large, exciting flocks of starlings and robins stripping trees and bushes of their delightful red berries.

The birds digest the pulp of berries but pass the seeds, often miles from the parent plants. As a result, I’ve seen many young, volunteer American hollies in woods and on lawns, including our own lawn!

American hollies and winterberries bear tiny white flowers late in spring. Insects sip nectar from those blooms, pollinating the blossoms in the process.    

American hollies and winterberries are delightful woody plants to experience in winter and around the holidays. The dark-green foliage of American hollies and the scarlet berries of both species are truly delightful to behold!

Clyde McMillan-Gamber is a retired Lancaster County Parks naturalist.