When does American Holly bloom?

American Holly typically flowers in May and June, producing small white blossoms before the familiar red berries develop later in the season.

What pollinates American Holly?

American Holly flowers attract bees, beetles, and wasps, which move between male and female trees to enable fruit set.

How much light does American Holly need?

It grows best in part sun but tolerates a range from partial shade to full shade, making it useful as an understory or woodland edge tree.

How much water does American Holly need?

American Holly prefers medium, consistent soil moisture and can tolerate lower water once established, though it does not do well in very dry sites.

Does American Holly stay green in winter?

Yes, it is evergreen, holding its dark, spiny leaves throughout the year, which adds structure and winter interest to the landscape.

Is American Holly toxic to dogs?

Yes. American Holly is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Is American Holly toxic to cats?

Yes. American Holly is listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Is American Holly toxic to livestock?

The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag American Holly as toxic to livestock.

Is American Holly HOA-friendly?

American Holly takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

American Holly

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Ilex opaca

Last reviewed: September 2026

Ilex opaca, or American Holly, is an evergreen tree with glossy spiked leaves and red berries that blooms in May and June. It grows best in part sun with medium moisture in woodland and coastal settings.

American Holly (Ilex opaca) — Photo: no rights reserved

American Holly is toxic to dogs and cats.

Listed as toxic by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) (last reviewed 2026-05-21). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435and your veterinarian's emergency line.

Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants so you can choose a pet-safe native alternative for your yard.

The USDA PLANTS Database (opens in new tab) does not flag American Holly as toxic to livestock.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

360"–600" H × 240"–360" W

Bloom

May, Jun

Native to

AL, AR, CT, DE and 22 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles, wasps

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

American holly is a stately evergreen tree with glossy, spiny dark green leaves and bright red berries on female plants. It grows slowly into a pyramidal shape and provides year-round structure and winter interest to the landscape.

Growing American Holly

Grow American Holly in part sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 360 to 600 inches tall and spread 240 to 360 inches wide. Expect moderate maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

American Holly takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: moderate. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Wildlife value

Host plant for henry's elfin, holly azure.

The small spring flowers attract bees, beetles, and wasps for pollination. The red berries are an important winter food source for birds including robins, cedar waxwings, and woodpeckers.

Common questions

When does American Holly bloom?: American Holly typically flowers in May and June, producing small white blossoms before the familiar red berries develop later in the season.
What pollinates American Holly?: American Holly flowers attract bees, beetles, and wasps, which move between male and female trees to enable fruit set.
How much light does American Holly need?: It grows best in part sun but tolerates a range from partial shade to full shade, making it useful as an understory or woodland edge tree.
How much water does American Holly need?: American Holly prefers medium, consistent soil moisture and can tolerate lower water once established, though it does not do well in very dry sites.
Does American Holly stay green in winter?: Yes, it is evergreen, holding its dark, spiny leaves throughout the year, which adds structure and winter interest to the landscape.
Is American Holly toxic to dogs?: Yes. American Holly is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Is American Holly toxic to cats?: Yes. American Holly is listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Is American Holly toxic to livestock?: The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag American Holly as toxic to livestock.
Is American Holly HOA-friendly?: American Holly takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants like American Holly and shows pet-safe natives for your ecoregion instead.

Find pet-safe natives

iPhone app Android app

Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz