Mountain holly is a deciduous tree or shrub in the holly family (Aquifoliaceae) found mostly in the mountains of North Carolina and rarely in the Piedmont. It grows in mesic forests from New York to Georgia, in the Appalachian Mountains. The specific epithet, montana , is Latin for “of mountains.” Grow in average, moist, well-drained acidic soils in sun to partial shade. It can be grown as a shrub or a tree. It has some drought tolerance. The plant can be pruned to shape, but keep in mind that next year's blossoms and fruit will appear on new growth. Mountain holly has large, spinless leaves and larger fruit than most hollies. The leaves are dull green above and light green below with raised white veins on the lower surface. Like most hollies, it is dioecious, so both a male and female plant are needed to produce berries. The red berries are a favorite of birds and small mammals. It is slow to reach maturity, but once established it tends to have a long lifespan. Use for winter interest, naturalized areas and to attract pollinators and birds. It is a fine addition to a native plant garden or pollinator garden. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests of hollies. More information on Ilex .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
4 to 6 inch alternate, simple leaf with shallow pointed teeth, elliptical to ovate, glabrous and green above, paler below. The prominent veins give the leaves a wrinkled look.
Flower color
Green; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Cyme; Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small greenish-white flowers in clusters in leaf axils. Blooms from April to June.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Pink; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry; Drupe
Fruit value
Long-lasting; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
1/2 inch red berries on female plants; persists into winter. Displays from August to September. Slightly glaucous, may last through the following spring. You need both male and female plants to produce berries.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray
Bark detail
Smooth but warty gray-brown bark. Often colonized by lichens.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Slender, gray-brown to red-brown, with scattered light lenticels, buds and leaf scars are small.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern United States
Distribution
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi. Attracts pollinators and birds and small mammals.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds; Specialized Bees
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Berry; Drupe
Edibility
Use caution. Human ingestion of berries can cause minor toxic reaction.