|
Holly |
|
Ilex aquifolium |
Photo © Carl Farmer |
Widespread in woods and beside burns, but never very numerous. Evergreen shrub typically 3-6 m high. Leaves c 4-8 cm long. ID: Twisted spiny leaves are instantly recognisable. Other features: Upper leaves are without spines (pics below). Separate male and female plants. Both have clusters of white 4-petalled flowers, and the female ones produce berries that are green when young and red when ripe. |
Photo © Carl Farmer |
Photo © Carl Farmer |
Cluster of flower buds with one open with 4 stamens, showing
it to be a male. The upper, non-spiny, leaves of this bush were accessible
due to the steepness of the ground.
Photo © Carl Farmer |
Photo © Carl Farmer |
Female bush with green summer berries. This one was only c 2.5 m tall and had spiny leaves to the top.