Photograph by Andrea Watts

My first encounter with English holly (Ilex aquifolium) was making holiday decorations in elementary school. Nearly 20 years later, I encountered the plant again as a restoration volunteer with the City of Seattle working to remove invasive plants from parks and greenbelts. Himalayan and evergreen blackberry (Rubus sp.), English ivy (Hedera helix), and English holly were removed and replaced with native sword ferns (Polystichum munitum), salal (Galtheria shallon), and Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium). Read more…