Holly

Holly is an important tree for wildlife. The major Virginia species is the American holly, a broadleaved  evergreen tree with fruits that ripen September through December, and remain on the trees until spring. It is during this time that birds eat and disperse the seeds. In addition to the American holly, many cultivated varieties exist on school grounds. Hollies are dioecious, meaning they have separate male and female trees. In the wild, hollies are most common on moist, coastal plain soils. Many wildlife species are attracted to the evergreen species.  Over 30 species of insects eat the foliage. The holly leaf miner, a small (2.5 mm) fly, punctures the leaf to feed on the juices, and lays eggs that hatch into larva that mine the leaf.