Blooms: mid summer
The Possumhaw is a perennial deciduous shrub that grows to about 25-30 feet tall. In mid-summer it will have small clusters of off white flowers and small oval toothed shaped leaves. In fall the leaves turn to yellow and fall leaving the beautiful showy reddish-orange berries.
Only female plants have berries in this species. They are very beautiful in winter when nothing else is blooming and things are a little drab. They take full sun or partial shade and do well in poor soils. They are native to Texas and are found throughout most of North America. Parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested by humans.
Other names of this plant are Deciduous Holly, Winterberry and Possumhaw Yaupon. Its beautiful berries are a favorite food source for opossums, raccoons and other small mammals. Songbirds and game birds love them as well. Deer will occasionally feed on them as well, but not their favorite.
We often think of holly in that it usually has prickly leaves reminding us of the crown of thorns that was placed upon CHRIST'S head. The Possomhaw does not have prickly leaves nor does it have thorns. The red berries also remind us of the drops of blood that HE shed for us.
A beautiful shrub for the Christmas season.
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