After English Ivy, Common Holly is the most ubiquitous weed in Mt Wilson. 

There are many old established Holly Trees and hedges in Mt Wilson. Whilst owners may be reluctant to remove these, care should be taken to stop the spread of Holly trees.  Holly gets established very quickly and it is easiest to remove when the plants are still small.  When they are seedlings they can sometimes be dug up as long as all roots are removed. Holly cuttings should all be placed in the green bin, mulched or burnt as they reshoot very easily.

The extract below is from Libby Raines weed booklet.

A native of Europe to China and North Africa. Holly is a large fast growing evergreen shrub (a small tree on Mount Wilson). It has very prickly shining green leaves and many red berries in the Autumn, which are carried by the birds. Each berry contains up to four seeds, which germinate readily in our ideal conditions, especially in the shade, and they quickly make a large self-layering shrub which usually shades out everything else around it.

Holly can be seen almost everywhere you walk on good soil. Holly and Ivy are the two most serious weeds on Mount Wilson. It is heartening to see many land owners removing holly trees from their properties.

The variegated forms of Holly are suitable to grow.

Control

  • Pull or dig out small plants or spray December to March.
  • Large plants cut off and poison.

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