FNPS Plant Database

Ilex decidua

possum haw

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

possum haw

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Ilex decidua

Family:

Aquifoliaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

20 ft tall by 10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

red

Phenology:

deciduous

Noted For:

Showy Fruits

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Understory tree in informal garden or woodland setting.

Considerations:

It's dioecious; so make sure you have at least one male plant in the vicinity to produce berries on the females.

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Can be started from softwood cuttings in spring. Seeds of most holly species require 2-3 years of dormancy before they will germinate.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Stays wet ---to--- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds

Bees pollinate the flowers. 

Nuthatches, thrushes, orioles, jays, chickadees, titmice, cardinals, grosbeacks, woodpeckers, and warblers use the seeds.

Native Habitats:

Floodplains, upland hardwood forests, thickets.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Rarely grown but worthy of consideration as an understory tree.

Citations:

Huegel, Craig, N.  2010.  Native plant landscaping for Florida wildlife.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. (wildlife uses)



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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