Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is a shrub that can grow as large as a tree. It is an evergreen plant that shows deep green prickly leaves and bears attractive red berries in the wintertime. Hollies were holy plants for the Celts and Teutons, they were a symbol of eternal life and a few sprigs of them in a house or stable kept away bad luck and magic. They grow best in a humid moderate climate with mild winters. In England, holly trees are popular and very important for Christmas practices and decoration.
The wood is hard to find in large, clear pieces. It shows the brightest colour of all species, nearly white, very hard, fine grained, tough and heavy. The white colour very seldom remains, in most cases it gets a grayish or reddish hue. Holly wood has been used for tool handles, walking sticks and whip grips, as it is said to have magic properties in controlling every horse, no matter how wayward it was.
