Holly's glossy, spiny leaves and bright red winter berries have made it a holiday season icon, standing out as one of the few plants offering real color in the garden through the coldest months.
A hardy evergreen shrub or small tree, holly comes in many species and hybrids, and since it's dioecious — meaning individual plants are either male or female — you generally need one of each nearby for the females to produce their signature berries.
Holly symbolizes protection and goodwill, with roots in pre-Christian winter solstice traditions that were later folded into modern Christmas symbolism.
Holly tolerates full sun to partial shade and average, well-draining soil, and it's a reliably low-maintenance evergreen once established. If you want berries, plant both a male and a female of the same species nearby, since only pollinated female plants produce them.
Holly berries are toxic if ingested and should be kept away from children and pets, despite the plant's long decorative association with the holidays.
