I never got around to post any pictures of the Holly tree/bush at Mom's. I finally took some pictures yesterday. This is the base of the tree. I put a brick beside it for scale. It divides into three trucks about six feet up. I think it has been topped a long time ago but just kept going strong Over the years we have kept the suckers beside it cut down but you can see, I need to get after these ones. Here is the full size of it beside the house. It is the only one that actually berries. There are smaller ones scattered all over the property with a large one at the corner of the property which I think is the male. It was cut back last year as it was interfering with traffic sight lines and power lines. I found one other very small one that seems to have berries on it. The birds love the berries and that is why there are small bushes of it scattered everywhere.
Beautiful tree. It’s easy to spot the females especially when they’re loaded with fruit. I have a handful of berries in cold stratification now so hopefully I’ll have a couple trees come springtime. Stunning to look at any time of year.
It sheds but all through the year. I think it is the inner older leaves that don't get the sunshine that die off so not all at once. Dead leaves are a pain - literally as they don't disintegrate very fast and stay sharp.
This year it didn't have many berries and thinking about it now, it might because the big male at the end of that garden bed had been pruned back. Usually it is loaded and keeps the berries until it snows and the birds strip it. This year I picked holly for Christmas and had to add artificial berries to it.
