Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Aquifoliales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Ilex crenata
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 Japanese Holly at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ilex crenata
FAMILY
Aquifoliaceae
COMMON NAME:
Japanese Holly
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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JK Marlow jkm210309_8932
March Greenville County SC
Blackwell Heritage Preserve
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JK Marlow jkm210309_8934
March Greenville County SC
Blackwell Heritage Preserve
Leaves shiny dark green above, dull light green below, per Virginia Tech Dendrology Factsheets.
)
JK Marlow jkm210309_8935
March Greenville County SC
Blackwell Heritage Preserve
Leaves shallowly toothed on upper half or margin entire, per Virginia Tech Dendrology Factsheets.
)
Paul Thompson pstilex_crenata
September?
There are numerous cultivars with similar leaves but varying growth habit. — Clemson Extension
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Ilex crenata
FAMILY
Aquifoliaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ilex crenata
FAMILY
Aquifoliaceae
2283
Shrub; Tree
Perennial
Usually dioecious
Habitat: Planted as a landscaping shrub, escaped into forests in suburban areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: Japan
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 crenate but apex tipped with a small but obvious sharp tooth (best seen at 10× or greater)
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Alternate
Margins crenate from base to apex
FLOWER:
Spring
Greenish-white
4-merous
4 sepals
4 petals
Usually unisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Black
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".