Tawnyberry Holly
Ilex krugiana
- Native to:
- Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, United States
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Aquifoliaceae
- Genus:
- Ilex
- Species:
- Ilex krugiana
- USDA Symbol:
- ILKR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 1500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- white
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
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)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Half-blind sphinx (Perigonia lusca)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
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
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Ilex seeds often exhibit double dormancy and may take 1-2 years to germinate. Warm stratification followed by cold stratification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI