American Holly

American Holly (Ilex opaca) is an evergreen shrub or small tree. It is on the tour, because it is a pretty plant that is easy to identify. It has hard green leaves, with small thorns on them. It also has red berries. It is commonly assosciated with Christmas. These are native.

Many American Hollies live in the park, but these are the largest. Smaller ones can be found growing next to trails in moist areas that are not very wet. These can be found growing near the power line right-of-way.