Ilex aquifolium

Ilex aquifolium: "Building Block of Native Biodiversity"
That's how Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, honors the Tree of the Year 2021, also known as the European Holly.

Its appearance depends on its age and location, so it can be either a rounded 3-meter shrub or a conical tree up to 15 meters tall. Excellently adapted to its surroundings, specimens up to 300 years old are known.

Even botanical laymen recognize the plant by Advent at the latest. In early summer, inconspicuous white flowers appear. From these, only the female specimens produce red fruits—provided there are male representatives nearby. The pea-sized berries ripen just in time, starting in November. Together with their shiny dark green, thorny leaves, they are the quintessential Christmas decoration, especially in England and North America.

The "False Palm" – Steeped in Customs and Traditions, a European Shape-Shifter
Ilex aquifolium can be found growing as a shrub in the undergrowth of forest trees.

In the garden, it is suitable as a shaped shrub, a single small tree, or a wonderfully dense hedge that, with its prickliness, deters unwanted visitors. Animal ones, of course. Since predators and curious creatures are hardly to be expected above a growth height of about four meters, the leaves at the top are spineless. A piece of wisdom that contributed to its selection as the Tree of the Year 2021.

To prevent it from losing its shape, a manual trim in late June is advisable—with thick gloves and long clothing. And please, do not eat the berries. Like all other parts of the plant, they are poisonous. Even many birds only eat them in emergencies. A side effect: the fruits remain on the plant for a long time and are attractive to look at along with the evergreen leaves.

At the beginning of the 20th century, its popularity as a Christmas decoration grew so immense that it was placed under species protection. Nowadays, its use is more moderate, and there are special plantations for this demand.

The plant has adorned houses for centuries, not just at Christmas time: it was believed to attract good fairies, ward off evil, protect against sorcery, and serve as an entry and exit point for spirits and ancestors.

And if you're wondering why Ilex is called "palm" in German: when Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem, the people strewed palm branches. Due to the lack of palm trees in Central Europe, they resorted to the evergreen Ilex aquifolium.