Alternate name: Common Winterberry, Michigan Holly, Black Alder

Family: Aquifoliaceae, Holly view all from this family

Description A deciduous holly shrub with very small white flowers that grow in the leaf axils.
Flowers: in clusters 1/4-1/2" (6-13 mm) wide, each flower 4- to 6-parted.
Leaves: 2" (5 cm) long, elliptical, toothed but not spiny.
Fruit: berry-like, showy red, less than 1/4" (6 mm) wide, on very short stalks, singly or in small clusters along the branches.
Height: 3-10' (90-300 cm).
Flowering: June-August.

Warning All Ilex species may be somewhat toxic if ingested. Sensitivity to a toxin varies with a person’s age, weight, physical condition, and individual susceptibility. Children are most vulnerable because of their curiosity and small size. Toxicity can vary in a plant according to season, the plant’s different parts, and its stage of growth; and plants can absorb toxic substances, such as herbicides, pesticides, and pollutants from the water, air, and soil.

Habitat Swamps, damp thickets, pond margins.

Range Ontario to Nova Scotia; south from New England to Georgia; west to Mississippi; north to Tennessee, Missouri, Michigan, and Minnesota.

Discussion Extremely showy in late fall and early winter when covered with their bright red fruit, these shrubs are either male or female--a trait typical of the holly family. Birds are readily attracted to them. Since this shrub grows in both wet and dry sites, it is an adaptable naturalizer. The southern species Ilex decidua, found in thickets and moist sites from Virginia to Texas, also has the distinctive red fruit.