12/26/2025
Merry Christmas, my friends…
Holly has become a steadfast bit of Christmas symbolism as recognizable as Christmas trees, Christmas lights, and fruitcake that everybody bakes but nobody eats.
And deservedly so.
For centuries, Holly has enjoyed notoriety as the male god of the plant world [ivy is the goddess], carrying life through the dead of winter into the following spring.
More recently, it’s been seen as a symbol of Christ’s crown of thorns, with the red berries representing his blood.
Common Holly is a medium-sized, broadleaf evergreen tree, slow-growing, reaching up to 40 ft (12 m) tall and about half as wide, sometimes larger.
Its foliage is highly glossy oblong, dark green leaves with wavy edges and sharp spines.
Hollies can be either male or female. Both produce small, dull white flowers in spring, but only female plants develop the prolific, brilliant
red berries that appear in autumn and persist into winter, providing an important food source for birds.
Hollies make attractive (and nearly impenetrable) hedges, as well as handsome woodland or background plants, creating a dark screen for lighter foliage or flowers.
There are many cultivars available, including those with brightly variegated foliage and smaller growing forms.
So folks, have a holly jolly Christmas but remember, Holly berries can cause stomach upset if ingested… so please don’t eat your Holly.
Cheers,
John
