Holly (ilex aquifolium)

When we think of holly, we think of Christmas, but holly is an evergreen tree, so we can see it all year round. The association with Christmas comes from its berries which usually show in winter. 

Holly isn't only good for decorating our homes and making wreaths. It provides a great winter food source for birds, particularly thrushes, and superb shelter for both birds and hedgehogs throughout the year. Mistle thrushes sometimes guard holly trees in order to keep the berries for themselves. 

Holly is a pale wood and is often used to make walking sticks. It's also used for Harry's wand in the Harry Potter stories.

We often think of holly as a bush, but if left unpruned, it can grow up to 15 metres high!