Horned holly, Chinese holly, Gougu, Dog bone
Ilex cornuta
Family: Aquifoliaceae
What it is like
An evergreen shrub. It grows to 3.5 m high. It spreads 4.5 m wide. The leaves are thick and glossy. They are almost rectangular and spiny. It is self fertile. The fruit are berries. They are larger than English holly. There are several named varieties. The fruit are round and red and 1 cm across.
There are about 400 Ilex species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It can tolerate frost. It suits mild-winter climates. In temperate areas in China it grows between 100-1,900 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 6-10. Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Britain, China, Europe, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Pacific, USA
How it is used for food
Caution:
Edible parts
Fruit, caution