Now we have you all in the mood, let me introduce today's topic 'English Holly' or sometimes known as 'Christmas Holly'. I did not realise that this seemingly harmless festive tradition is also a problematic invasive species in some areas such as in America and Pacific Northwest. Ilex aquifolium is a broad leaf evergreen shrub that can grow from 5-18 metres high. With its pretty waxy leaves and red berries, it has become, in Britain, to epitomise the essence of christmas.
Image. English Holly with its poisonous red berries on the female plant.
The holly is shade tolerant and highly competitive with other native understory plants (Boersma et al. 2006). This particular holly has escaped into forested areas where it grows in shade or sun on well drained soils. Due to the way it can grow vegetatively or by seed, it is resilient to changes in climate. It is particularly detrimental to native plants as it is a water hog, preventing sufficient water for the surrounding vegetation. With climate change, English Holly is going to be affected much like any other species on the Earth. In the IPCC 4th report, it stated that ' English Holly would see a poleward shift of the northern margin due to increasing winter temperatures' `(WWF, n/d). The same shifting is also predicted to occur with European Mistletoe (Viscum album) which is gaining altitude in response to climate change. The study reveals that the plant has climbed 656 feet in the last hundred years (National Geographic, 2010).
Till next time, eat, drink and be merry!
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