Ilex decidua
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Possum Haw
Aquifoliaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Tree | |
| Size: | 20 ft tall by 10 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | White | |
| Fruit Color: | Red | |
| Phenology: | Deciduous | |
| Noted for: | Showy fruits |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Understory tree in informal garden or woodland setting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | It's dioecious; so make sure you have at least one male plant in the vicinity to produce berries on the females. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Can be started from softwood cuttings in spring. Seeds of most holly species require 2-3 years of dormancy before they will germinate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Stays Wet ----- to ----- Somewhat moist, no flooding) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Stays Wet ----- to ----- Somewhat moist, no flooding | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Organic material (muck), Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Nuthatches, thrushes, orioles, jays, chickadees, titmice, cardinals, grosbeacks, woodpeckers, and warblers use the seeds. | |
| Insects: | Bees pollinate the flowers. | |
| Native Habitats: | Floodplains, upland hardwood forests, thickets. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| General Comments: | Rarely grown but worthy of consideration as an understory tree. |