# possumhaw (*Ilex decidua*) Possumhaw is a lovely shrub that grows bright red berries in the fall. Birds love to eat these berries, making it a special plant in nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![possumhaw](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ilex_decidua_%28USDA%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ilex_decidua_%28USDA%29.jpg) ## Appearance The possumhaw is a deciduous shrub or small tree with smooth, gray bark. It has small, inconspicuous white flowers in spring, followed by brilliant red to orange-red berries that persist on bare branches through winter, making it visually striking. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Aquifoliales - **Family:** Aquifoliaceae - **Genus:** Ilex ## Interesting facts - Even though its berries are bright and tasty for birds, they can cause an upset tummy for humans if eaten! - Its name 'possumhaw' comes from opossums eating its berries, especially during winter months! - Possumhaw is a great 'winter interest' plant, making bare landscapes pop with its cheerful red berries! - This plant is sometimes called 'Deciduous Holly' because it loses its leaves, unlike most other hollies! ## Special abilities - **Tough Roots:** Possumhaw has roots that can handle both very wet and very dry soils, helping it survive tricky changing environments. - **Persistent Feast:** Possumhaw berries cling to branches all winter, providing crucial food for birds and other animals when other sources are scarce. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-500 cm - **Spread:** 200-400 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — eats its berries in winter - **Eats:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — feasts on its abundant winter berries - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar from its small spring flowers - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses the twigs and leaves ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch the berries, as some plants can be tricky! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify possumhaw? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is possumhaw? 300-500 cm ### How wide does possumhaw spread? 200-400 cm ### How big are the flowers on possumhaw? 0.5-1 cm ### When does possumhaw bloom? Spring ### Is possumhaw edible? No ### Is possumhaw toxic? Mild ### What is possumhaw's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Tennessee Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tennessee-aquarium) — Tennessee, US · Zoo - [Hood County Courthouse Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hood-county-courthouse-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lady-bird-johnson-wildflower-center) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Memphis Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/memphis-botanic-garden) — Tennessee, US · Botanical Garden - [Pomme de Terre Wildlife Management Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pomme-de-terre-wildlife-management-area) — Louisiana, US · Park - [George Bush Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/george-bush-park) — Texas, US · Park [View all places to see possumhaw](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/possumhaw) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Possumhaw: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/possumhaw)