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    Home»Herbs and Spices»Uses and Benefits of Holly
    Herbs and Spices

    Uses and Benefits of Holly

    By SylviaNovember 8, 2020Updated:November 8, 2020No Comments13 Mins Read
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    Ilex aquifolium, popularly known as holly, common holly, and English holly is a species of flowering plant belonging to holly family (Aquifoliaceae). The plant is native to northern Africa (i.e. Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia), western and southern Europe (i.e. the UK, France, Portugal, Spain, Albania, Bulgaria, Italy and Yugoslavia) and western Asia (i.e. Iran, Syria and Turkey). It is regarded as the type species of the genus Ilex, which by association is also called “holly”. In the British Isles it is one of very few native evergreen trees. It has a great capacity to adapt to different conditions and is a pioneer species that repopulates the margins of forests or clear-cuts.

    American holly, Appalachian tea, Cassena, Christmas berry, Deer berry, English holly, Holly, Indian black drink, Indian holly, Oregon holly, Yaupon, European holly, Common Holly, prickly-leaved holly and variegated holly are some of the popular common names of the plant. Genus name comes from the Latin name Quercus ilex for holm oak in reference to the foliage similarities (holm oak and many of the shrubs in the genus Ilex have evergreen leaves). Specific epithet comes from the Latin word acus meaning needle and folium meaning leaf in reference to the spiny leaves.

    Holly Facts

    Holly Quick Facts
    Name: Holly
    Scientific Name: Ilex aquifolium
    Origin Northern Africa, western and southern Europe and western Asia
    Colors Green when young turning to bright red to orange
    Shapes Berry like drupe (stone fruit), about 6–10 mm in diameter. They each contain four seeds, are usually borne in clusters, and are eaten by birds which disperse the seeds.
    Taste Bitter, acrid
    Health benefits Beneficial for intermittent fevers, rheumatism, catarrh, pleurisy, jaundice, smallpox, whooping-cough, fever, bronchitis, cold and digestive disorders
    Name Holly
    Scientific Name Ilex aquifolium
    Native Northern Africa (i.e. Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia), western and southern Europe (i.e. the UK, France, Portugal, Spain, Albania, Bulgaria, Italy and Yugoslavia) and western Asia (i.e. Iran, Syria and Turkey).
    Common Names American holly, Appalachian tea, Cassena, Christmas berry, Deer berry, English holly, Holly, Indian black drink, Indian holly, Oregon holly, Yaupon, European holly, Common Holly, prickly-leaved holly, variegated holly
    Name in Other Languages frikaans: Holly     
    Amharic: Holī (ሆሊ)
    Albanian: Ashe, ashja, ilqe
    Arabic: Huli (هولي)
    Armenian: P’sharmav  (փշարմավ)
    Azerbaijani: Holly
    Basque: Gorostiak
    Belarusian: Padub (падуб)
    Bengali: Ciraśyāmala gulmabiśēṣa (চিরশ্যামল গুল্মবিশেষ)
    Bosnian: Zelenika
    Bulgarian: Djel (джел), zelenika (зеленика), ileks (илекс), samodivski chishmir (самодивски чишмир)
    Catalan: Arbre de mal fruit, Boix grèvol, Coscoll de vesc, Grèvol, greu, greuler, grèvol de visc         
    Cebuano: Holly
    Chichewa: Holly
    Chinese: Dōngqīng (冬青)
    Corsican: Agliu
    Croatian: Božikovina, božika,
    Czech: Cesmína, cesmína ostrolistá,
    Danish: Kristtorn, Almindelig kristtorn
    Dutch: Hulst, groene hulst
    English: English holly, Holly, European holly, English holl, Christmas Holly, Common Holly, English Holly, prickly-leaved holly; variagated holly
    Esperanto: Ilekso
    Estonian: Astelpõõsas
    Filipino: Holly
    Finnish: Orjanlaakeri
    French: Agrifous, agriou, bois franc, grand pardon, gréou, grifeuil, housson, houx, houx à feuilles epineuses, houx commun, meslier épineux
    Frisian: Hulst
    Galician: Acivro
    Georgian: Holly
    German: Gemeine Stechpalme, gemeiner Hülst, gewoehnliche Stechpalme, Hülsdorn, Hülsstrauch, Stechholder, Stechpalme, Hülse, Hulst, Stechhülse           
    Greek: Prínos (πρίνος), Ílix (Ίληξ), lióprino  (λιόπρινο)
    Gujarati: Hōlī (હોલી)
    Haitian Creole: Holly
    Hausa: Holly
    Hawaiian: Holly
    Hebrew: הולי
    Hindi: Hollee (होल्ली)
    Hmong: Holly
    Hungarian: Magyal, Közönséges magyal
    Icelandic: Holly
    Igbo: Holly
    Indonesian: Holly
    Irish: Cuileann
    Italian: Agrifoglio, agrifolio, alboro spinoso, aquifolio
    Japanese: Horī (ホリー), seiyou hiiragi
    Javanese: Holly
    Kannada: Hali (ಹಾಲಿ)
    Kazakh: Kholli  (Холли)
    Khmer: Holly
    Kinyarwanda: Holly
    Korean: Holli (홀리)
    Kurdish: Pîroz
    Kyrgyz: Holly
    Lao: Holly
    Latin: Ilex
    Latvian: Aslapainā palma
    Lithuanian: Bugienis
    Luxembourgish: Holly
    Macedonian: Kholi (Холи)
    Malagasy: Holly
    Malayalam: Hēāḷi  (ഹോളി)
    Malay: Holly
    Maltese: Holly
    Maori: Holly
    Marathi: Holee (होली)
    Mongolian: Kholli (Холли)
    Myanmar (Burmese): Holly
    Nepali: Holee (होली)
    Netherlands: Europese hulst, hulst
    Norwegian: Kristtorn, Beenwedd, Mar-torn, beinved
    Occitan: Fouito-pastre, Grefuèlh, Gréfol, Grífol
    Odia: ହୋଲି 
    Pashto: هولی
    Persian: راج
    Polish: Ostrokrzew, ostrokrzew kolczasty
    Portuguese: Azevinho, acevinho, acevinho-espinhoso, aquifólio, cibro, espinha-sempre-verde, pica-folha, pica-rato, teio, vidreiro, visqueiro, xardo, xardón, zebro
    Punjabi: Hōlī (ਹੋਲੀ)
    Romanian: Ilice, laur
    Russian: Padub (падуб), padub ostrolistnyy  (падуб остролистный)     
    Samoan: Paia
    Scots Gaelic: Cuileann
    Serbian: Zelenika (зеленика), bozhika (божика), ostrolist (остролист), chesvina (чесвина)
    Sesotho: Natalie 
    Shona: Holly        
    Somali: Anfaca    
    Swahili: Holly
    Sindhi: پاڪ
    Sinhala: Sākayaṭat (ශාකයටත්)
    Slovak: Svätý, cezmína ostrolistá
    Slovenian: Holly, navadna bodika
    Spanish: Acebo, muerdago, Agrifolio, Cardonera, Xardón, cardon boixgrevol; grèvol, alebro, aquifolio, boix grevol, cebro, crévol, gorostiza
    Sundanese: Holly
    Swedish: Järnek, Kristtorn
    Tatar: Kholli (холли)
    Tajik: Kholli (Холли)           
    Tamil: Hōli (ஹோலி)     
    Telugu: Hāllī (హాల్లీ)              
    Thai: T̂n ḥxl lī (ต้นฮอลลี)          
    Turkish: Cobanpüskülü      
    Turkmen: Holly
    UK: Holm, hulver bush
    Ukrainian: Padub (падуб)
    Urdu: ہولی           
    Uyghur: Holly      
    Uzbek: Xolli
    Vietnamese: Hoa huệ
    Welsh: Celyn
    Xhosa: Ngcwele
    Yiddish: Khali (כאַלי)
    Yoruba: Holly
    Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro): Bodika, bozikovina, bozjiles
    Zulu: Holly
    Plant Growth Habit Large, slow-growing evergreen tree or shrub
    Growing Climates Forests, forest edges, scrub- and woodland, hedges, thickets, second-growth forest, roadsides, open ground
    Soil Prefers acid, sandy or gravelly loam soils and found in most well-drained soil
    Plant Size 10–25 m (33–82 ft) tall with a woody stem as wide as 40–80 cm (16–31 in), rarely 100 cm (39 in) or more, in diameter
    Bark Bark of the young branches is green and shiny but light gray on older branches and stems
    Stem Younger stems are green and covered in fine hairs (i.e. finely pubescent), while older stems quickly become hairless (i.e. glabrous).
    Wood Hard and dense and is often used for wood cutting
    Twigs Twigs are greenish to purplish
    Leaf Dark green, thick, glossy, ovate or elliptic, 5-12 cm long, 2.5-5.5 cm wide, glabrous, margins usually thickened, undulate, regularly or irregularly toothed, the teeth stiff, spreading, spinose, rarely entire
    Flowering season May to June
    Flower Flowers are small, white, fragrant, and found in clusters
    Fruit Shape & Size Berry like drupe (stone fruit), about 6–10 mm in diameter.  They each contain four seeds, are usually borne in clusters, and are eaten by birds which disperse the seeds
    Fruit Color Green when young turning to bright red to orange
    Seed Light brown or yellowish seeds are either smooth or ribbed
    Propagation By seed and sometimes also vegetatively by suckering and layering
    Taste Bitter, acrid
    Plant Parts Used Leaves, berries, bark
    Lifespan About can live 500 years, but usually does not reach 100
    Season August to October
    Culinary Uses
    • The leaves have been used as a tea substitute.
    • The roasted fruit has been used as a coffee substitute.

    Plant Description

    Holly is a large, slow-growing evergreen tree or shrub that normally grows about 10–25 m (33–82 ft.) tall with a woody stem as wide as 40–80 cm (16–31 in), rarely 100 cm (39 in) or more, in diameter. The plant has a pyramidal crown, which branches from the base. The bark of the young branches is green and shiny but light gray on older branches and stems. The wood is hard and dense and is often used for wood cutting. Twigs are greenish to purplish. The plant is found growing in Forests, forest edges, scrub- and woodland, hedges, thickets, second-growth forest, roadsides and open ground. The plant prefers acid, sandy or gravelly loam soils and found in most well-drained soil. The younger stems are green and covered in fine hairs (i.e. finely pubescent), while older stems quickly become hairless (i.e. glabrous).

    Leaves

    The thick and leathery leaves are alternately arranged on the stems and are borne on stalks (i.e. petioles) 5-15 mm long. These leaves are 5–12 cm long and 2–6 cm wide and are roughly oval (i.e. oblong-elliptic) in shape with wavy (i.e. undulate) margins and pointed tips (i.e. acute apices). In the young and in the lower limbs of mature trees, the leaves have three to five sharp spines on each side, pointing alternately upward and downward, while leaves of the upper branches in mature trees lack spines and may even have entire and flat margins. Their upper leaf surfaces are dark green and glossy, while their undersides are paler in color and duller in appearance. Leaf margin may be undulate with spines, especially in the lower part of the tree.

    The leaves have neither taste nor odor. They remain attached to the tree for several years, and when they fall, defy for a long time the action of air and moisture, owing to their leathery texture and durable fibers, which take a long time to decay.

    Holly Image Gallery
    Bark-of-Holly Bark-of-Holly
    Closer-view-of-fruit-of-Holly-plant Closer-view-of-fruit-of-Holly-plant
    Female-flower-of-Holly-plant Female-flower-of-Holly-plant
    Flowers-of-Holly-plant Flowers-of-Holly-plant
    Fruits-on-Holly-plant Fruits-on-Holly-plant
    Holly-Plant Holly-Plant
    Immature-fruits-of-Holly-plant Immature-fruits-of-Holly-plant
    Leaves-of-Holly-plant Leaves-of-Holly-plant
    Male-flower-of-Holly-plant Male-flower-of-Holly-plant
    Plant-Illustration-of-Holly-plant Plant-Illustration-of-Holly-plant
    Seeds-of-Holly-plant Seeds-of-Holly-plant
    Sketch-of-Holly-plant Sketch-of-Holly-plant

    Flowers

    Small flowers are about 8 mm across and are usually borne in three-flowered clusters (occasionally 1-6 flowers in each cluster), which are thickly arranged into larger clusters in the leaf forks (i.e. axils).  The plant is dioecious, meaning that there are male plants and female plants. The sex cannot be determined until the plants begin flowering, usually between 4 and 12 years of age. Separate male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. All flowers are borne on very short stalks (i.e. pedicels) up to 2 mm long. They have four tiny sepals which are about 1.5 mm long and four white or pinkish petals that are 2-5 mm long. The male flowers are yellowish and appear in axillary groups and have four stamens and a rudimentary ovary, while the female flowers are isolated or in groups of three and are small and white or slightly pink, and consist of four petals and four sepals partially fused at the base and have four partially formed stamens (i.e. staminodes) and an ovary topped with a short style and a globular stigma. Flowering occurs mainly during May to June.

    Fruit

    The fruit only appears on female plants, which require male plants nearby to fertilize them. The fruit is a berry like drupe (stone fruit), about 6–10 mm in diameter. These rounded or egg-shaped fruit turns from green to bright red or bright yellow in color as it matures around October or November. At this time they are very bitter due to the ilicin content and so are rarely eaten until late winter after frost has made them softer and more palatable. They are eaten by rodents, birds and larger herbivores. Each fruit consists of 3 to 4 seeds which do not germinate until the second or third spring. The light brown or yellowish seeds are either smooth or ribbed. The fruit can remain on the tree for the whole winter if not eaten by birds.  Blackbirds are often seen flying out of our holly trees this time of the year when they are disturbed by curious dendrologists.  

    Traditional uses and benefits of Holly

    • Holly is little used in modern herbalism.
    • Leaves are diaphoretic, expectorant, febrifuge and tonic.
    • They are used in the treatment of intermittent fevers, rheumatism, catarrh, pleurisy etc.
    • Juice of the fresh leaves has been successfully used in the treatment of jaundice.
    • Berries are violently emetic and purgative.
    • They have been used in the treatment of dropsy and as a powder they have been used as an astringent to check bleeding.
    • Berries are toxic, especially to children, and should not be used medicinally except under professional supervision.
    • Root has been used as a diuretic, though there are more effective diuretics available.
    • Holly leaves were formerly used as a diaphoretic and an infusion of them was given in catarrh, pleurisy and smallpox.
    • They have also been used in intermittent fevers and rheumatism for their febrifugal and tonic properties, and powdered, or taken in infusion or decoction.
    • Bark and leaves are good used as fomentations for broken bones.
    • In traditional medicine, holly is supposed to be diuretic, a relief from fever, and a laxative.
    • In the Forest of Bere (Hampshire) it used to be held that milk drunk from a holly-wood bowl would cure a child of whooping-cough.
    • Herb has occasionally been used internally in the form of a hot tea to reduce fever, treat bronchitis, common cold and some digestive disorders.
    • It is also thought to be helpful as a blood purifying tonic for chronic rheumatic ailments and disorders.
    • They have been used traditionally as an herbal remedy for dropsy or edema (fluid retention).
    • Powdered fruits have an astringent (contracting) effect and have been used to halt bleeding.
    • Leaves are used to treat include fever, rheumatism and digestive issues.
    • Holly leaf extract is occasionally used to combat jaundice, dizziness and emotional problems.
    • In some cases, holly is even utilized as a method of fighting heart disease.
    • It has been used in colds, pleurisy, intermittent fever, smallpox, rheumatism and diseases that cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin).
    • Reduced to powder, berries have been used as astringents to check intestinal bleeding.
    • In the central and southern England, holly was used to treat chilblains.
    • Tea from the leaves has been used for measles and colds.
    • Leaves help treatment for sore eyes and itchy skin.

    Other Facts

    • It is an excellent hedge plant, tolerating hard clipping and maritime exposure and forming a dense stock-proof shelter.
    • It is beautifully white, except at the center of very old trees, and is highly regarded by cabinet makers though it must be well seasoned.
    • The heartwood of mature trees is used for printing blocks, engravings, turnery etc.
    • The wood makes a good fuel, burning well even when green.
    • Wood is used for woodcraft, turnery, handles, sleeves, sticks.
    • Its leaves are browsed by mammals and in the past were used as cattle fodder.
    • The mucilaginous bark of young shoots is used to produce birdlime.
    • It is a subject of music and folklore, especially in the British tradition.
    • It is also a popular ornamental shrub or hedge, with numerous cultivars in a range of colors.
    • Its white, fine-grained, hard wood is used for decorative carving and was formerly used for mathematical instruments and light machinery components.
    • It has even been dyed black and used as a substitute for ebony piano keys.

    Precautions

    • The fruit and probably other parts of the plant contain saponin and are toxic, causing diarrhea, vomiting and stupor.
    • Do not exceed recommended doses.
    • Fruits are particularly poisonous to children.
    • The fruits are toxic; eating them will cause vomiting and abdominal pain.
    • Due to the fruit’s toxic effects, they should not be used internally.
    • The fruits are poisonous and consumption of more than five berries can cause digestive disorders, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and sleepiness.
    • Consuming 20 to 30 berries or more can cause life-threatening inflammation to occur in the digestive system.

    References:

    https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=503154#null

    http://www.hear.org/pier/species/ilex_aquifolium.htm

    https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ilex+aquifolium

    https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c208

    http://www.floracatalana.net/ilex-aquifolium-l

    https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/english-holly.htm

    https://www.drugs.com/npp/holly.html

    https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/h/holly-28.html

    https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ILAQ80

    https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=5744

    https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/28487

    http://www.tn-grin.nat.tn/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=19670

    https://accs.uaa.alaska.edu/wp-content/uploads/Ilex_aquifolium_BIO_ILAQ80.pdf

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_aquifolium

    http://www.theplantlist.net/tpl/record/kew-2860379

    https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/ILEAQ

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    Holly Scientific Classification

    Scientific Name: Ilex aquifolium

    Rank Scientific Name & (Common Name)
    Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
    Infrakingdom Streptophyta  (land plants)
    Super Division Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
    Division Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
    Sub Division Spermatophytina  (spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames)
    Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
    Sub Class Rosidae
    Super Order Asteranae
    Order Celastrales
    Family Aquifoliaceae (Holly family)
    Genus Ilex L. (holly)
    Species Ilex aquifolium L. (English holly)
    Synonyms
    • Aquifolium croceum Rafin.
    • Aquifolium ferox (Ait.) Mill.
    • Aquifolium ferox (Ait.) Mill. ex Rafin.
    • Aquifolium heterophyllum Rafin.
    • Aquifolium ilex Scop.
    • Aquifolium lanceolatum Raf.
    • Aquifolium planifolium Raf.
    • Aquifolium spinosum Lam.
    • Aquifolium undulatum Rafin.
    • Aquifolium vulgare St.Lag.
    • Ilex aquifolium f. albopicta (Loudon) Geerinck
    • Ilex aquifolium f. argenteomarginata Beissn.
    • Ilex aquifolium f. aureomarginata Beissn.
    • Ilex aquifolium f. aureopicta (Loudon) Geerinck
    • Ilex aquifolium f. bacciflava (Weston) Rehder
    • Ilex aquifolium f. ferox (Aiton) C.K.Schneid.
    • Ilex aquifolium f. heterophylla (Aiton) Loes.
    • Ilex aquifolium f. integrifolia Nolte
    • Ilex aquifolium f. integrifolia Nolte ex Loes.
    • Ilex aquifolium f. pendula (Loudon) Schelle
    • Ilex aquifolium f. spinigera Loes.
    • Ilex aquifolium var. balearica (Desf.) Loes., 1901
    • Ilex aquifolium var. barcinonae Pau
    • Ilex aquifolium var. camelliifolia Koch
    • Ilex aquifolium var. chrysocarpa Loes., 1901
    • Ilex aquifolium var. ferox Aiton
    • Ilex aquifolium var. heterophylla Aiton, 1789
    • Ilex aquifolium var. nigricans Goeppert
    • Ilex balearica Desf.
    • Ilex camelliifolia Carr.
    • Ilex camelliifolia Henry
    • Ilex canadensis hort.
    • Ilex canadensis hort. ex Decne.
    • Ilex chrysocarpa Wender.
    • Ilex ciliata hort.
    • Ilex ciliata hort. ex Koehne
    • Ilex citriocarpa Murr
    • Ilex crassifolia Ait.
    • Ilex crassifolia Ait. ex Steud.
    • Ilex echinata Mill.
    • Ilex ferox Ait.
    • Ilex ferox Ait. ex Steud.
    • Ilex fischeri hort.
    • Ilex fischeri hort. ex Carr.
    • Ilex heterophylla G.Don
    • Ilex maderensis Willd.
    • Ilex nigricans Henry
    • Ilex platyphylla hort.
    • Ilex platyphylla hort. ex Booth
    • Ilex sempervirens Salisb.
    • Ilex spinigera Loes.
    • Ilex vulgaris S.F.Gray
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