Hoyt Arboretum, Portland, Oregon, USA

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Distribution: Garden Origin

Hardiness: Zone 5a -20 to -15 F

Life form: Broadleaf evergreen tree

Usage: Ornamental

Comments: Ilex opaca, commonly called American holly, is an erect evergreen tree that slowly matures to 15-30' (4.57-9.14 m) in cultivation, but may reach 50' (15.24 m) tall in the wild. ‘William Hawkins’ is a dense, shrubby, male cultivar that typically grows to 6-15' (1.83-4.57 m) tall. It features unusually narrow, spiny-toothed, deep evergreen leaves. Greenish-white flowers appear in May, but are generally inconspicuous. Its specific epithet means opaque or dull, in reference to the non-lustrous leaf surfaces of species plants (many of the cultivars, including this one, have more lustrous foliage).