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Holly Trees
Do you know that Cape Cod has holly trees? The following comment from a Cape visitor is of interest in this respect:
The American holly is a beautiful tree. I understand that up the Cape there are still some wild stands. They should not be disturbed because tearing such things from their natural habitat is rarely successful. There is considerable variation in such wild plants. To overcome this holly nurserymen have propagated from superior trees rooted cuttings. These can be bought in small sizes for a few dollars and are beautiful to watch while they are growing. As they become older, one may cut their branches for Christmas decorations.
One of these varieties propagated from cuttings is called “Cape Cod.” There are others taken from trees near Harwichport.
The holly tree is a small shrub that grows from ten to forty feet high. Its leaves are glossy. The lower ones are uniform, with waved spinous margins, the upper ones sometimes entire. The holly tree flowers are white, and the fruit is a scarlet or more rarely a yellow drupe, with four bony furrowed stones. The beautiful white wood of the holly is valued by cabinet makers for inlaying, the bark is used in the manufacture of birdlime. So violently purgative are the berries that six or eight will excite violent regurgitation. The leaves and berries, with ivy, form the principal material of Christmas decoration.
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My house is bordered on each side by two massive holly trees. Why in the world anyone would want to plant holly trees near a home is beyond me! The leaves are a nightmare to pick up after raking (even wearing gloves), and the berries attract flocks of birds. This year 4 birds hit my picture window at once.
Holly trees should be planted, in my opinion, away from homes. This is NOT a tree to plant and just leave untended. With proper pruning and shaping it can be quite beautiful. Left to its own devices it will become an invasive nuisance .