Possumhaw Holly

Description:

Possumhaw, Ilex decidua, is native to the southeastern US, ranging from Maryland to Florida and west to Texas and Mexico. This beautiful small tree grows 15 to 25 feet tall. It has a bushy habit and can reach up to a 15 foot spread. Possumhaw is deciduous, losing its leaves in the fall. For the female trees, this reveals the yellow to orange to bright red berries that cover the trees all winter. Berries: Possumhaw starts to make berries in the summer which turn color in the fall. The berries are the most distinctive feature of the plant by November, when Possumhaw starts to shed its leaves. Most female Possumhaw trees are covered with berries, making a wonderful fall and winter display.

Habitat:

Lewisville Independent School District Outdoor Learning Area) is an eighty-acre tract of land located on the south side of Lake Lewisville Dam in Denton County. The landscape boasts wetlands, forests, fields, rivers and streams and contains approximately five miles of hiking trails. The outdoor learning area was created in the fall of 1999 when the school district erected two portable classrooms.