UD's Holly Arboretum Open to Public

Enemies meet under this tree to air their grievances and settle a dispute. A young girl puts sprigs of it around her bed to bring sweet dreams. An ailing man cures his cough with a tonic made from its leaves. And families around the globe use it to "deck the halls" for Christmas.

Holly is not only a 2,000-year-old symbol for peace and joy and a festive holiday decoration, it has local significance as Delaware's state tree-which is, specifically, American holly.

Characterized by dark, thorny-leaved foliage and bright red berries, the American Holly can reach 60 feet in height with a trunk diameter of 20 inches, says Dr. John Frett, professor of horticulture at the University of Delaware and the director of the UD Botanic Gardens (UDBG).

According to Frett holly growth is not restricted to Delaware or even the East Coast. Hundreds of types of holly grow from California to England. "Although Delaware boasts the American Holly as its state tree, the West Coast is now the center for the holly production in the United States," he says. "The holly industry in Delaware is mostly defunct now."

Despite the local decline in holly production, Delaware holly aficionados are in luck. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Dr. Charles Dunham, Professor Emeritus of plant and soil sciences and a member of the American Holly Society, UD has had the privilege of running a holly test arboretum on campus since the late 1950s. Dunham was the first to plant and maintain records of the hollies on campus and as a member of the American Holly Society; he was a prime candidate to run a test arboretum.

Since Dunham retired in the 1980s, Frett and others have cared for the arboretum, although, he says, maintaining the arboretum is fairly simple. "We keep records and send them to the American Holly Society once a year to let them know what's going on."

The arboretum, which encompasses several areas of what is known as the UDBG, contains an extensive variety of holly plants cultivated for scientific, educational and ornamental purposes. The 50 types of holly in the arboretum are labeled by their scientific and common names and free for public viewing from dawn until dusk, Frett says. Holly is located in the gardens at the west side entrance of Townsend Hall and to the northwest of the Fischer Greenhouse Laboratory.

Most of the holly on display at the arboretum is classified as "semi-hardy" holly. This means that it will survive through most winters, but perhaps not during seasons with the harshest weather.

A holly of particular interest in the arboretum, especially as the winter holiday season approaches, is the variegated English holly," Frett says. "The plant, with its green center and whiter margin, is popular for Christmas decorating."

The deciduous hollies are another important group within the arboretum, according to Frett. These hollies have a genetic characteristic that causes them to drop their leaves, and many of these species are native to Delaware. Other notable hollies are the yellow-fruited American, the Longwood gold, the luster-leaf and several southern varieties, all of which are on display at the arboretum.

Although visitors to the arboretum may be tempted to remove some of the holly from the arboretum to use as home decoration, Frett says this practice is strictly prohibited. "This holly is used to teach, and the plants should be respected," he says.