Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Aquifoliales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Ilex cornuta
FAMILY
Aquifoliaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Read more about Chinese Holly at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ilex cornuta
FAMILY
Aquifoliaceae
COMMON NAME:
Chinese Holly, Burford Holly
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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JK Marlow jkm160103_099
January Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
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JK Marlow jkm170106_070
January Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Fruit bright red, persisting through winter, per Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (Dirr, 1975+).
)
JK Marlow jkm170106_076
January Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm170106_079
January Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm080330_023
March Anderson County SC
Clemson Forest
Leaves with 3 strong spines at apex, up to 9 overall, lethal to work around, per Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (Dirr, 1975+).
)
JK Marlow jkm080330_024
March Anderson County SC
Clemson Forest
Flowers in axillary clusters on branches of the previous year, per Weakley's Flora.
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Paul Thompson pstilex_cornuta_burfordi
September?
The cultivar 'Burfordii Nana' is usually armed with a single terminal spine. — Clemson Extension
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Ilex cornuta
FAMILY
Aquifoliaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ilex cornuta
FAMILY
Aquifoliaceae
2658
Shrub; Tree
Perennial
Usually dioecious
Habitat: Escaped into forests in (primarily) suburban and urban areas, but certain to become more ubiquitous and increasingly in natural areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: China
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant may be causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Leaves with well-developed, apical, 2-6mm spine (& usually also marginal spines)
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring
White
4-merous
4 sepals
4 petals
Usually unisexual
FRUIT:
WinterSummer/Fall
Red
Drupe
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".