Does anything conjure Christmas and the wintertime holidays more than a branchlet of green holly leaves with red Charles Edward Berry ? Perhaps not . And as an evergreen plant shrub or tree diagram in your home landscape , holly is a real showstopper in winter when little else is dark-green . The same features that make it so attractive today are what made holly a mythical plant to ancient cultures .
Holly is a broadleaved , slow - grow tree diagram or shrub with glossy green leave , wavy margins , and sharp spines . In woodland , holly often grows under trees as an under - story mintage . Its bright red berries are a rich source of food for thought fornative birdsand it offers winter shelter for songster and other wildlife .
“ The name christdorn is used in Germany for holly meaning ‘ Christ thorn ’ , a monitor to Christians of Jesus ’s suffering and a nod to the legend that his crown of thorns was made from the holly bush . The well do it anon. Christmas carol The Holly and the Ivy , from the 1700s , use the holly ’s white blossom , red berry and bitter barque to demarcate the stages of Jesus ’s life , where the holly and ivy are used as metaphor for Jesus and Mary . ”
How the tradition of using holly in winter festivals began
The tradition of using holly in winter celebrations began when Rome ruled over Europe , between 200 BC and 14 advert . Northern European culture believe holly had particular meaning since it was still green in winter when deciduous plants had dropped their leaf and become dormant . As the ancient winter holidays center around the short sidereal day of the year ( on our modern calendar in mid - December ) , holly represented the waning sun as the solstice approached .
Holly cutting off embellish homes during the wintertime solstice as it was believe to lend good fortune and ward off vicious forces in the coming year . Its Ellen Price Wood was used to build point believed to have extra king or to bring ripe luck and it was think that a Buddy Holly flora grown close to the house kept its inhabitants safe from fire , lightning strikes , and nightmare .
While most of us no longer believe in the thaumaturgy of plant , holly is indeed a beautiful adornment to our winter homes ( “ deck the entrance hall with boughs of holly ” ) . It ’s a plebeian plus todecorations and flower arrangements during the Christmas time of year .
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Planting tips for Holly
As everydeciduous plantgoes into sleeping each wintertime , holly really comes into its own , keep on its unripe shininess and producing bright red berries . These berries are a favorite solid food reservoir for many native birds who have a unmanageable time observe nutrient sources in the deep winter . Holly ’s burst of red and unripened in the winter landscape is a welcome sight when nearly every other plant is dormant .
But holly ’s red berry are only grow on female works . holly are dioecian , which think of male and female heyday occur on separate flora ( female flowers must be pollinate by virile flowers to produce berries ) . So if you would like to see those bright crimson holly berry in winter , you ’ll have to plant one male for every 5 - 10 female plants .
reference : Trees For Life , Holly mythology and folklore;The Irish News , Take on Nature : The holly and the ivy , from Celts to Christmas;Illinois Extension , Holly for the Holidays
