Unusual or exotic trees – the holly?
by Chris, 18 October, 2019, 2 comments
Holly is not a ’typical’ tree in a number of ways. For example, it is evergreen but not a conifer. A holly tree is either male or female. Also, holly leaves have spines and a thick, protective and waxy cuticle.
The word ‘Holly” derives from the Old English “holen” or “holegn”. Holly was also referred to as ‘holm’, ‘holme’, or ‘hollin’. These names for holly can be useful when examining old maps and ancient texts for references to the historical distribution of holly across the U.K. It is certainly the case that in the past, the distribution of holly was more widespread; this was true for Needwood Forest in Staffordshire. Needwood was a significant and ancient midlands forest but after the Enclosure Act of 1803, large numbers of trees were felled. In his ‘Plant Book’, Professor David Mabberley notes that some 150,000 holly trees were taken from Needwood (about this time or shortly thereafter) to provide bobbins for the cotton mills of Lancashire. (Bagot’s Wood is said to be the largest existing piece of this ancient woodland). Read more...
