Hawai'I Holly
Ilex anomala
Also known as: Holly
- Native to:
- Hawaii, Marquesas, Society Is., United States
David Eickhoff (www.flickr.com) from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Aquifoliaceae
- Genus:
- Ilex
- Species:
- Ilex anomala
- USDA Symbol:
- ILAN
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 1200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- white
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to Hawaiian forests, prefers organic matter
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–180 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–365 days
- Notes:
- Ilex seeds exhibit double dormancy; warm stratification followed by cold stratification is typical. Germination can be erratic over 1-2 years.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI