Virginia Tech Dendrology

mountain holly Aquifoliaceae Ilex montana Torr. & A. Gray ex A. Gray symbol: ILMO
Leaf: Alternate, simple, deciduous, 2 1/2 to 6 inches long (commonly 4 inches), shellow pointed teeth, elliptical to ovate, glabrous and green above, paler below, thin but with prominent veins giving leaves a wrinkled look.
Flower: Species is dioecious; both male and females are short-stalked and greenish-white, 1/4 inch across, 4-7 petals, usually in clusters, appear in spring.
Fruit: Round drupes, to 1/2 inch in diameter, orange-red to red, in sparse clusters, ripening in fall and persisting for a short time, seeds grooved.
Twig: Slender, gray-brown to red-brown, with scattered light lenticels, buds and leaf scars are small, one vascular bundle scar, spur shoots common.
Bark: Thin, young stem with obvious lenticels, later smooth but warty and gray brown.
Form: Upright shrub to a small tree, usually with multiple stems, commonly to 20 feet but may reach 40 feet or more.
Looks like: sarvis holly - deciduous holly - winterberry holly - sweet cherry

Additional Range Information: Ilex montana is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
External Links: USDA Plants Database - USDAFS Forest Products Lab
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information