Possumhaw
(Ilex decidua)

Left: Ilex dedicua in ASMSA Garden in Summer 2024.

Above:  Mature Ilex dedicua with berries in winter.

Plant Characteristics

Plant Preference/Growing Conditions:

Possumhaw does best with exposure to full or partial sun. They will perform best with direct morning light, but in summer they need protection from the strong afternoon sun.


Growth Habitat/Description: 

Deciduous holly, or Possumhaw as it is often called, is a small tree or large shrub that grows 15-20 feet tall. The smooth gray bark of the trunk and branches hold the fruit on the upper half of the plant. Possumhaw is usually found on moist soils of floodplains, low woodlands, wet thickets, and along streams.


Bloom Season: 

The whitish flowers of both male and female Possumhaw holly are relatively inconspicuous. Pollinated female flowers give way to orange-red berries which ripen in September and persist throughout the winter until mid-March when new growth begins. Flowers bloom from April to May.


Fall and/or Winter Interest:

Yes. Females produce berries in September-March.

Distribution

Habitat: It can be found on limestone glades and bluffs, along streams in wet woods, and in lowland valleys, sloughs and swamps.

Native to Arkansas? Yes.

Native to Garland County? Yes.

Endemic to Arkansas? No.

Ecological Value

Host Plant for Caterpillars? 

Yes. Possumhaw is a host plant for Hummingbird Clearwing Moth Caterpillar and Henry's Elfin butterfly.

Other known Ecological Value? 

Yes. Hollies in general, including possumhaw, can be valuable for wildlife and pollinators. Holly flowers are highly attractive to a wide variety of bees and butterflies and support the specialized bee Colletes banksi. Members of this genus are also the host plants for the caterpillars of several moth and butterfly species. Possumhaw fruits are consumed by small mammals, songbirds and game birds, including eastern bluebirds, wild turkeys, and quail.  They are also eaten by white-tailed deer. White-tailed deer and cattle browse both leaves and twigs.

Other Interesting Facts

Origin of Name: The name Possumhaw name comes from the opossums that eat their berries that resemble hawthorn berries. The name combines the words possum and hawthorn, creating Possumhaw.

Related Plant Species: The Possumhaw is related to species such as the American Holly (Ilex decidua) and Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)

Use for Food/Medicine: None. The berries of possum haw are toxic if ingested in large quantities to both humans and domestic animals.