Holly
Ilex aquifolium
Ilex aquifolium, the holly, common holly, English holly, European holly, or occasionally Christmas holly, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aquifoliaceae, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia. It is regarded as the type species of the genus Ilex, which by association is also called holly.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_aquifolium
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Aquifoliales
Family
Aquifoliaceae
Genus
Ilex
Holly belongs to the family Aquifoliaceae, order Aquifoliales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Ilex aquifolium, the holly, common holly, English holly, European holly, or occasionally Christmas holly, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aquifoliaceae, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia. It is regarded as the type species of the genus Ilex, which by association is also called holly. It is an evergreen tree or shrub found, for example, in shady areas of forests of oak and in beech hedges. In the British Isles it is one of very few native hardwood evergreen trees. It has a great capacity to adapt to different conditions and is a pioneer species that repopulates the margins of forests or clearcuts.
Holly (Ilex aquifolium) faces significant threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and land conversion for agriculture and development. Climate change is altering suitable habitat ranges, while over-harvesting for decorative purposes during winter holidays has reduced wild populations in many regions.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Ilex aquifolium during winter growing next to a beech near [[Frederikshavn, Denmark]] Holly is native to much of the western half of Europe as well as northwestern Africa. Its native status in central and Eastern Europe is disputed. According to Plants of the World Online (POWO) it is not native or reproducing in Poland or Hungary, but is native to Bulgaria and Romania. According to the...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Holly (Ilex aquifolium) faces significant threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and land conversion for agriculture and development. Climate change is altering suitable habitat ranges, while over-harvesting for decorative purposes during winter holidays has reduced wild populations in many regions.
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Over-harvesting for decorative use
Agricultural expansion
Climate change impacts
Urban development
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
Report a sightingNo community sightings yet. Be the first to report!
Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Holly (Ilex aquifolium). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/holly