Aquifoliaceae - holly family
Mount Desert Island is home to 2 species in 1 genus that grow without cultivation. Click on a link below or scroll down for more information.
Ilex (2 species)
Ilex mucronata - mountain holly (occasional [see note 1 at bottom of page])
Ilex verticillata - common winterberry (common)
Ilex
The table below will help distinguish between Mount Desert Island’s two species of Ilex.
| petiole color | fruit | |
| Ilex mucronata | purple | dull |
| Ilex verticillata | green | shiny |
Ilex mucronata (mountain holly) - [information to be added]
(click on image to enlarge)
Ilex verticillata (common winterberry) - [information to be added]
(click on an image to enlarge)
Note:
1. Frequency designations are from the paper “Vascular flora of the Acadia National Park region, Maine” by Craig W. Greene, Linda L. Gregory, Glen H. Mittelhauser, Sally C. Rooney, and Jill E. Weber, published in the spring 2005 issue (vol. 107, No. 930) of Rhodora: Journal of the New England Botanical Club.