Possumhaw Ilex decidua
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- EYE-leks dee-SID-yoo-ah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Possumhaw is a deciduous holly native to the Southeast and extending west to northwestern Mexico. It can be found on limestone glades and bluffs, along streams in wet woods, and in lowland valleys, sloughs and swamps. The specific epithet, Latin for “deciduous,” describes the leaves and the condition noteworthy in a genus known for its evergreen species.
Possumhaw is broadly tolerant of a range of soil types. It can take full sun to partial shade. It tolerates occasional flooding or saturated soils.
It is an upright shrub or small tree with a spreading, rounded crown that typically grows 7 to 15 feet tall in cultivation (to 30 feet in the wild). Its bark is gray-brown and smooth with occasional warts. The fruits attract birds, deer and a variety of small mammals (including opossums, as the common name suggests). Plants of this species are mostly dioecious (separate male and female plants), but some plants have perfect flowers (complete flowers with functioning stamens and pistils). For the best show of berries, plant female plants, with at least one male (pollinizer) plant to ensure that pollination will take place. Prune to shape in early spring just before new growth begins.
Grow this species in a pollinator or wildlife garden or in a rain garden. It works especially well as a winter accent.
Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: The possumhaw will occasionally incur problems that include leaf spots and powdery mildew.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Backyard Patio
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Byer's Golden'
Female. Yellow fruits. Difficult to propagate. - 'Council Fire'
Female. Leaves narrow. Fruits red. - 'Finch's Golden'
Yellow fruits. Female. - 'Pocahontas'
Female. Red fruits. - 'Red Cascade'
Female. Bark very pale. Branches horizontal and spreading. - 'Red Escort'
Male. Good pollinizer; dense glossy foliage, looks like 'Warren's Red' - 'Sentry'
Female. Selected for columnar growth habit (20 ft. tall) and early defoliation. - 'Warren's Red'
Old cultivar with upright growth habit to 20 ft.; heavy berry set. Female.
- 'Byer's Golden'
- 'Byer's Golden', 'Council Fire', 'Finch's Golden', 'Pocahontas', 'Red Cascade', 'Red Escort', 'Sentry', 'Warren's Red'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Byer's Golden'
Female. Yellow fruits. Difficult to propagate. - 'Council Fire'
Female. Leaves narrow. Fruits red. - 'Finch's Golden'
Yellow fruits. Female. - 'Pocahontas'
Female. Red fruits. - 'Red Cascade'
Female. Bark very pale. Branches horizontal and spreading. - 'Red Escort'
Male. Good pollinizer; dense glossy foliage, looks like 'Warren's Red' - 'Sentry'
Female. Selected for columnar growth habit (20 ft. tall) and early defoliation. - 'Warren's Red'
Old cultivar with upright growth habit to 20 ft.; heavy berry set. Female.
- 'Byer's Golden'
- 'Byer's Golden', 'Council Fire', 'Finch's Golden', 'Pocahontas', 'Red Cascade', 'Red Escort', 'Sentry', 'Warren's Red'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ilex
- Species:
- decidua
- Family:
- Aquifoliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- United States and Mexico
- Distribution:
- Northwestern Mexico; TX through KS northeast to IL east to MD and south to FL.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It is a host plant for Henry's Elfin butterfly. Butterflies and other pollinators nectar at the blooms. Fruits are eaten by songbirds and small mammals. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Resistant to fire and moderately resistant to damage from deer. Heat, drought, and soil compaction tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Fruits eaten by songbirds and small mammals. Use caution. Human ingestion of berries can cause minor toxic reaction.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 7 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Horizontal
- Rounded
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Pollinated female flowers give way to orange-red berries which ripen in September and persist throughout the winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The whitish flowers of both male and female Possumhaw holly are relatively inconspicuous. Pollinated female flowers give way to orange-red berries which ripen in September and persist throughout the winter until mid-March when new growth begins. Flower blooms from April to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 2-3 inch long glossy, dark green, alternate, simple, obovate, narrow, crenate margined elliptic leaves that turn a dull purplish green to yellow in fall
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Gray-brown and smooth with occasional warts.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Fire
- Wet Soil
