Ilex aquifolium English holly

English holly at Kingscoat Gardens Sairus Patel, 1 Dec 2023

Ilex aquifolium. From An Illustrated Manual of Pacific Coast Trees, Howard E. McMinn & Evelyn Maino

The familiar foliage plant of Christmas decorations with dark green shiny leaves, characteristically shaped, and with red berries. Several hollies grow inside Frost Amphitheater on the bank south of the stage. In Kingscote Gardens they cap the north end of the eastern lawn. Only one remains of several holly trees on the north side of Encina Hall.

Trees that had long grown at the front entrance to the School of Education (Cubberley) were removed in 2008 when the landscape was redone. An old male and female on the lawn north of The Knoll were removed probably in the 2000s.

Shrubby American species of Ilex containing caffeine were formerly prepared in the manner of tea.