Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Aquifoliaceae

Genus:

Ilex

Species:

Ilex montana

USDA Symbol:

ILMO

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

1200 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

may,jun

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, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from the root crown following fire; typically recovers well in Appalachian forest fire regimes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

good drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers cool, mountainous regions with organic matter

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 150–270 days

Germination Time:

30–365 days

Notes:

Ilex seeds exhibit double dormancy requiring warm then cold stratification; germination can take 1-3 years and is often erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI