The Dawes Arboretum

Common name: Maryland Dwarf American holly

Family: Aquifoliaceae (holly family)

Distribution: Species native to e. United States

Hardiness: USDA Zone 5

Life form: Evergreen tree

Comments: This superb dwarf, spreading selection typically grows to 3' tall and spreads to as much as 10' wide. Greenish-white flowers appear in May and are generally inconspicuous. Spiny-toothed, elliptical, glossy deep green leaves, 2-4" long, are evergreen. Pollinated flowers give way to small red fruits which ripen in fall and persist throughout the winter. Needs a suitable male pollinator for fruit production. Best used as a specimen or the shrub border.