Possumhaw, or Deciduous Holly, is a fairly common small understory tree, most often found in bottomlands.
The small leaves, clustered on short spurs, have small rounded teeth and are broader past the middle.
Orange Co., NC 6/3/2012.
Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Celastrales>Aquifoliaceae>Ilex decidua Walter
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| Possumhaw, or Deciduous Holly, is a fairly common small understory tree, most often found in bottomlands. The small leaves, clustered on short spurs, have small rounded teeth and are broader past the middle. Orange Co., NC 6/3/2012. |
| Clusters of small white flowers appear in mid-spring. Granville Co., NC 4/26/09. |
| Staminate (male) flowers. Possumhaw is dioecious — flowers on an individual tree are either male or female. Granville Co., NC 4/26/09. |
| Pistillate (female) flowers. Flowers and leaves are clustered on short spur branches. Granville Co., NC 4/26/09. |
| Staminate flowers. Granville Co., NC 4/26/09. |
| Staminate flowers. Granville Co., NC 4/26/09. |
| Staminate flowers. Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011. |
| Staminate flowers. Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011. |
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| Leaves are usually obovate (egg-shaped, widest above the middle) to spathulate (spoon-shaped) and crenate (with blunt teeth). |
| The leaves and fruits are usually clustered on short spur branches. Granville Co., NC 6/4/05. |
| The bright red drupes on female plants last through the winter. Durham Co., NC 12/4/05. |
| The bark has warty lenticels. |
| Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011. |
| Orange Co., NC 6/3/2012. |
More information:
Virginia Tech Dendrology
Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina
cwcook@duke.eduAll photographs and text ©2012 by Will Cook unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.