Flowering TreesAmerican Holly
Ilex opaca
American Holly (Ilex opaca) is a slow-growing flowering tree, hardy in USDA zones 5-9, that matures to about 15-30 ft × 10-20 ft. It does best in full sun and part shade with medium water needs in well-drained, moist and occasionally-dry soil. Expect yellow, green and white blooms in spring. It attracts bees, butterflies and pollinators, stands up well to deer, salt and wind.
- USDA zones
- 5-9
- Sun
- Full sun, Part shade
- Water
- Medium
- Mature size
- 15-30 ft × 10-20 ft
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally-dry, Occasionally-wet
- Bloom color
- Yellow, Green, White
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies, Pollinators, Small mammals, Songbirds
- Tough against
- Deer, Salt, Wind
- Native to
- Eastern and central United States
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — American Holly is hardy to about -20°F (estimated from USDA zone 5), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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