Plant · GBIF taxon 5414239
Japanese holly
Ilex crenataAlso known as Box-leaved Holly, Boxleaf Holly, Inu-tsuge
Japanese holly forms dense, woody thickets with tiny, glossy evergreen leaves and small black berries late in the season. Spring blooms attract native pollinators, while dense branching provides shelter for songbirds year round. Landscape gardeners cultivate numerous dwarf cultivars to create tailored hedges and topiary shapes.
EvergreenBroadleafLandscape
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic
Predators
- Spider Mites
- Black Vine Weevil
- Root-knot Nematodes
ThreatsRoot rot, spider mite infestations, and winter desiccation
HabitatsThickets, mountain slopes, suburban gardens, and open woodlands
Life span50–100 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAquifoliales
- FamilyAquifoliaceae
- GenusIlex
- SpeciesIlex crenata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Berries contain saponins toxic to humans and pets if ingested; observe safely without harvesting or eating.
- Why it is dangerous
- Foliage and berries contain saponins and ilicin, which cause nausea, severe vomiting, and diarrhea if consumed.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognize by its alternate, tiny oval leaves with finely notched margins and shiny black fruit.
- What to do
- Do not ingest any plant parts and keep fallen berries away from small children and domestic pets.
Responsible observation
- Pruning: Trim light growth in late spring to maintain dense hedging without stressing the roots.
- Leaf Check: Inspect the underside of tiny leaves for spider mite webbing during dry summer spells.
- Forage: Leave black berries on branches through winter as food for visiting songbirds.
Look-Alike (c) Julien Renoult, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Julien Renoult · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Alex Abair / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
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