Ilex myrtifolia

Common Names

Myrtle Holly, Myrtle Leaf Holly, Myrtle Dahoon

Summary

Ilex myrtifolia, commonly called Myrtle Holly or Myrtle Leaf Holly, is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the southeastern Coastal Plain of the United States, typically growing in moist, lime-rich soils such as pine savannas or flatwoods and reaching about 15–25 feet tall, leaves are alternate, very narrowly oblong (about 1–1.5 inches long), thin, shiny dark green, with revolute margins, and red berries appear on female plants in late fall and may persist into winter, it tolerates full sun to partial shade and acidic, moist, well-drained soils, and is commonly used for banks and slopes, hedges or screens, and ornamental plantings, with wildlife value due to berries attractive to birds, propagation is by seed or softwood cuttings, though seeds may require 2–3 years of dormancy, and the plant is not drought- or flood-tolerant, deer-resistant, not invasive, hardy in USDA zones 8A–9B, and native to wetlands.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

20-40 feet

Spread

15-20 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7a-11b

Sunlight Requirements

Full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Acidic, moist, well-drained soil, preferably loamy or sandy.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Acidic to neutral soil (pH below 7)

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Dark green

Fall Foliage Color

No showy fall color

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, other pollinators, birds