American Holly?

Here's one that's got nothing to do with firewood, just curious since I've never seen one before. I CAN appreciate trees that don't end up in my stove I was walking through the woods this afternoon and came across a small tree/shrub that looked pretty out of place. (Central Connecticut location) For those of you in the know, does this look like American Holly to you? It reminds me of certain ornamental bushes and shrubs. The location was an old home site that dates back to Colonial times. There were a few cedars in the area as well which is also something you don't come across much around here.

 

Yes looks like American Holly. Birds plant them all over.

 

Thanks. Maybe I have seen them before then but never took notice. That seems to be the case with a lot of flora since I joined here. All of a sudden I'm aware of a lot more out there in the natural world.

 

If you can get a female, migrating birds will swarm it in the spring, and the red berries look nice right about now.

 

Don't walk barefoot under them.

 

Nor use the leaves as emergency t.p.

 

Nope, no intention of walking barefoot under them, utilizing their leaves to freshen up, or eating any berries. Nice looking tree and all but I'm glad I don't have them in my yard.

 

Good for Christmas decorations

 

My grandparents had one right outside their front door at their beach house. You had to be careful where you walked on the way to the beach.
There's one quite a ways into the woods that has red berries about every 4 or 5 years or so. For whatever reasons we have lots of little ones about knee high everywhere which seems weird because there never used to be any. Things come and go, the nature of nature. A natural depopulation of the deer would be nice.

 

In due time I'm sure. Nature of nature as you said. Around me growing up there were no black bears. Now we're inundated with them. Similar situation with the coyotes and red foxes. On the years when you don't see coyotes, fox run rampant. Then the next year the coyote packs will keep you up at night and there won't be a fox around.

 

Great for deer hunting on rainy or snowy days

 

Sure does. Never cut or scrounged any. Only time ive seen one was small like that

 

Admittedly I did check out the BTU ratings on it A person is never done learning. Looks to be some great firewood although the ones I saw today are all off-limits as I was in a state forest. Still a cool thing to find, along with the cedar grove. Lots of different hickory species in the area too, colorful yellow leaves out in full force.

 

Ive seen plenty of it as house shrubs. I HATE working around the prickly leaves. PITA when siding or installing a downspout.

 

I’ve got one on the side of the house. Pretty big now and it gets the red berries. I wanted to yank it out with the winch but the womenfolk said no. Told me I should trim it. Told them I only know how to trim at stump level LOL. They trimmed it a bit.

 

Lots in the woods of Delmarva, and it is great firewood.... very similar to beech except its white wood.

 

Thanks, if I ever get the chance to harvest one I'll give it a go. Is there a strong smell to it at all or is it kind of neutral?

 

to the wood? Not that I notice... to the smoke? I dunno, I use a wood stove and rarely get a whiff of any of it.

 

I was thinking either processing it or from the smoke. Usually trees with any kind of berries seem to have some kind of distinct smell, at least when you cut them. I have a wood stove too so the only time I get a good whiff is during reloads or when the wind is right I can catch it outside.

 

Not too far from where I found the small Holly tree, I spotted a couple large ones today. They stood out like a sore thumb against the snowy landscape, being full of leaves. This one was probably about 12" DBH. Very nice looking tree.