− | Describe the plant here...
| + | '''''Ilex opaca''''' ('''American Holly''') is a species of [[holly]], native to the eastern [[United States]], from coastal [[Massachusetts]] south to central [[Florida]], and west to southeastern [[Missouri]] and eastern [[Texas]].<ref name=usfs>U.S. Forest Service Silvics Manual: [http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/ilex/opaca.htm ''Ilex opaca'']</ref> |
| + | It is often planted as an [[ornamental plant]], although a slow growing one. Over 1,000 [[cultivar]]s have been selected, including plants selected for cold tolerance ('Cobalt', a male cultivar, is able to tolerate temperatures as low as −32 °C), growth form (e.g. dwarf forms such as 'Cardinal Hedge', a female plant growing to 1.2 m tall), and color and abundance of fruit (notable female cultivars including the large-berried 'Yule', and the yellow-berried 'Canary' and 'Morgan Gold').<ref name=rhs>Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.</ref> |
− | Ilex opaca, Ait. (I. quercifolia, Meerb.). American Holly. Fig. 1947. Tree, with spreading short branches, sometimes to 50 ft., forming a narrow, pyramidal head, glabrous: lvs. oval or elliptic-lanceolate, with large remote spiny teeth, rarely entire, dull green above, yellowish green beneath, 2-4 in. long: fr. dull scarlet, usually solitary, globose. June. Mass, to Fla., west to Mo. and Texas. Em. 385. S.S. 1:45. Gng. 4:276, 277. F.E. 16:444, pi. 63; 20:402, pi. 14. Gn.M. 2:19; 4:237. V. 3:86; 12:79, 80.—Hardier than I. aquifolium, but less handsome. Ilex opaca var. xanthocarpa, Rehd. Frs. yellow. | + | Ilex opaca, Ait. (I. quercifolia, Meerb.). American Holly. Tree, with spreading short branches, sometimes to 50 ft., forming a narrow, pyramidal head, glabrous: lvs. oval or elliptic-lanceolate, with large remote spiny teeth, rarely entire, dull green above, yellowish green beneath, 2-4 in. long: fr. dull scarlet, usually solitary, globose. June. Mass, to Fla., west to Mo. and Texas.—Hardier than I. aquifolium, but less handsome. Ilex opaca var. xanthocarpa, Rehd. Frs. yellow. |