December Plant of the Month

Possumhaw Holly (Ilex decidua)

This plant attracts so much attention because of its spectacular and unique presentation of red, orange, and yellow fruit, which appear when the foliage drops in November or early December. The colorful berries usually remain all winter unless they are removed by the cedar waxwing or one of the other nine species known to feed on the fruit.

Possum-haw hollies are useful in the landscape as large shrubs or small trees, and may occur with single or multiple trunks. Female plants are preferred, since male selections are fruitless and provide little ornamental value.

Culture is easy. Possum-haws are native from East Texas to western regions of the state, and grow in a wide variety of soil and moisture conditions. They tolerate poor drainage quite well, but will thrive under fairly dry situations.

Availability is getting better, but expect some difficulty in locating nursery-grown plants. Some nurseries are now growing female selections from cuttings, which assures the fruit color and sex of the plant. Seeds are easily propagated, but this often results in a high percentage of male plants. Determining their gender is not practical until plants are old enough to flower, which may be in 2 to 4 years. If collecting specimens from their native habitat, two things should be kept in mind. First, select a plant with at least a few berries; second, unless you have access to large-scale digging equipment, choose a small plant. Possum-haws grow quickly once established; however, large collected plants can be slow to recover from transplanting. Ilex decidua is a beautiful and potentially useful small tree adapted to most of Texas. Increasing availability should make it a popular choice for many home owners. (Dr. William C. Welch, Landscape Horticulturist Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University. Link to article on TX A&M Web Site.

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PREFERRED VENDORS

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FLOWERS

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• Gayfeather (Liatrus mucronata) perennial
• Blue Flax (Linum lewisii) perennial
• Obedient Plant (Physostegia intermedia) perennial
• Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata) annual
• Sea Shells Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) annual
• Gloria Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) annual
• Dwarf Sensation Mix Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) annual
• California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) annual
• Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) annual
• Pink Laura Bush Petunia (Petunia x violacea) annual
• Perennial Lupine (Lupinus perennis) perennial
• Lilliput Mixture Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) annual
• Mediterranean Deep Rose Vinca (Catharanthus roseus) annual
• Cooler Mix Vinca (Catharanthus roseus) annual
• Sweet Alyssum Snow Crystals (Lobularia maritima) annual
• Sweet Alyssum Pastel Carpet (Lobularia maritima) annual
• Snapdragon Rocket Hybrid Mix (Antirrhinum majus) annual/biennial
• Viola Bilbo Baggins (Viola x williamsiana) annual
• Viola Gem Antique Shades Hybrid (Viola cornuta) annual
• Profusion Double Cherry Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) annual
• Profusion Cherry Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) annual
• Crystal White Zinnia (Zinnia haageana) annual

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HERBS AND VEGETABLES

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• Organic Spinach Renegade Hybrid (Spinacia olevacea) annual
• Organic Broccoli Belstar Hybrid (Brassica oleracea) annual
• Organic Lettuce Salad Bowl Mix (Lactuca sativa) annual
• Organic Parsley Italian Flat Leaf (Petroselinum crispum) biennial
• Organic Cilantro Longstanding (Coriandrum sativum) annual
• Organic Greek Oregano (Origanum vulgare hirtum) perennial
• Organic Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis) annual
• Organic Thai Basil (Ocimum basilicum) annual
• Organic Greek Basil (Ocimum basilicum) annual
• Organic Tomato Money Maker (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) indeterminate
• Carnival Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) determinate
• Big Beef Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) indeterminate
• Organic Pepper Early Jalapeno (Capsicum annuum) annual
• Organic Pepper California Wonder (Capsicum annuum) annual
• Mexibell Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum) annual
• Anaheim Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum) annual
• Anaheim TMR 23 Hot Pepper ((Capsicum annuum) annual
• Habanero Hot Pepper (Belize Sweet) (Capsicum chinense) annual
• Toma Verde Tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa) annual

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1501 Sycamore Creek Dr, Dripping Springs, Texas E-mail carol@lostvalleygardens.com
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