Ilex aquifolium: The Versatile Holly Tree

Folk Names: Holly, Christ’s Thorn, Common Holly, Christmas Holly, Hulver bush, Bat’s wings

General Info: The Holly tree is one of the sacred trees of Traditional Witchcraft, and was thought to be a favoured tree of the ancient druids.  The berries, while favoured by birds and animals, are poisonous to human beings, and children in particular should be warned against eating them.  During the winter the country folk would gather up young stems of Holly and use it as a cattle-feed to sustain them during the privations of the winter.  The stems when dried and bruised were often given to cows, who seemed to thrive on it producing good milk, the butter from which was said to be excellent.  It is also well known to rabbit-breeders that a Holly-stick placed in a hutch for the rabbits to gnaw, would act as a tonic and restore their appetite. 

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Magical Correspondences: Holiness, consecration, material gain, physical revenge, beauty, immortality, peace, goodwill and health.

When to Harvest: Anytime, but especially before the winter solstice. 

Parts of the Plant to be Used: Medicinally leaves only, with caution. Roots and berries are not used in modern herbal preparations despite historical use. For decoration branches, leaves and berries are used.

Physical Characteristics and Growing Habits: The wood of the Holly is hard, compact and close-grained.  Its colour is of beautiful ivory white that can be buffed to a high sheen.  When properly cured the hardness of Holly makes it superior to any other white wood.  As such it is much prized for ornamental uses.

The leaves of the Holly tree are thick, green and glossy.  Normally about 2 inches long and 1 1/4 inches wide, they are edged with stout prickles alternately pointing upwards and downwards, while most of the upper leaves have only a single prickle.  The leaves have neither taste nor odour and remain attached to the tree for several years.  When they fall, the leaves take a long time to decay, defying the natural actions of air and moisture, potentially due to their waxy and antimicrobial nature.

The Holly flowers around May, with beautiful pale pink & white flowers. The Holly tree is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are produced on different trees. If a tree produces its berries well one year, it will normally rest the following year before producing again.

Health and Wellness Uses: 

1. Traditional Medicine: In traditional medicine, various parts of the holly tree have been used for their medicinal properties. The leaves, in particular, were historically employed to treat fevers, coughs, and colds. The astringent nature of holly leaves made them valuable for addressing conditions such as diarrhea and dysentery.
2. Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Holly leaves are known to contain compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. This has led to the inclusion of holly extracts in some traditional remedies for joint pain and arthritis.
3. Cardiovascular Health: Some studies suggest that holly extracts may have potential benefits for cardiovascular health. The antioxidants present in holly leaves could contribute to reducing oxidative stress and promoting heart health.
4. Antimicrobial Effects: Holly has been explored for its antimicrobial effects. While more research is needed, early studies indicate that holly extracts may have some inhibitory effects on certain bacteria, making it a subject of interest for potential future antibacterial treatments.

Metaphysical and Magical Associations:

1. Ancient Druidic Practices: The Druids, the ancient Celtic priests, held holly in high regard. They believed that holly had protective qualities and used it in various rituals. Holly was often present in ceremonies and celebrations, especially those connected to the changing seasons.
2. Christian Traditions: In Christianity, holly has been adopted as a symbol of Christ’s crown of thorns, with the red berries representing drops of his blood. The use of holly in Christmas decorations and traditions further illustrates its integration into Christian symbolism and celebration.
3. Pagan Festivals: Holly has roots in pagan festivals, where it was a sacred plant associated with the god of the hunt. As Christianity spread, some pagan traditions and symbols, including holly, were absorbed into new religious practices.
4. As with most other trees the Holly was revered for its protective qualities. When planted around the home it protects the inhabitants and guards against lightning, poisoning and mischievous spirits.  
5. When confronted by wild animals throwing a stick of Holly at them would make them lie down and leave you alone.  
6. A piece of Holly carried on your person is said to promote good luck, particularly in men for the Holly is a male plant (the Ivy its opposite female).  

Folklore, Cultural, and Historical Uses: 

1. In one Christian myth, a holly bush growing nearby sprouted the spikey leaves to hide and protect baby Jesus from King Herod’s men. Jesus returned the favour by making the holly an evergreen tree that stays vibrant year round. In nature, holly affords shelter to birds and small mammals during the cold winter months.
2. Some folk tales tell us that when winter came the old druids advised the people to take Holly into their homes to shelter the elves and fairies who could join mortals at this time without causing them harm, but these stories also tell of a warning, to make sure and remove the Holly entirely before the eve of Imbolc, for to leave just one leaf in the house would cause misfortune.  

3. An old Scottish tradition says that no branch should be cut from a Holly tree, but rather it should be pulled free in a method considered fit for a sacred tree.  It was also considered unlucky to fell a Holly tree or burn its green skinned branches.  Yet luck was increased if a small branch was kept and hung outside of the house, there it would continue to protect against lightning.
4. Before the 1800s a Christmas tree was actually a holly tree, not a Douglas fir as we use today.
5. Holly is commonly used all over the world as a Christmas decoration, a custom derived from the early Romans who sent boughs of Holly and other gifts to their friends during Saturnalia, the Roman festival of Saturn held around the 17^th of December to celebration of the Winter Solstice.  
6. In pagan folklore the Holly tree is associated with the spirit of vegetation and the waning forces of nature, to which he is personified as a mythical figure called the Holly King.  The Holly King rules nature during its decline from the mid-summer solstice (Litha – Jun 21^st) through to the mid-winter solstice (Yule – Dec 21st).  At each of the solstice Sabbats, the Holly King and his brother the Oak King engage in ritual combat for the attentions of the Goddess, from whence the victor presides over nature through the following half of the year.
7. In his personification as the Holly King, he is often depicted as an old man dressed in winter clothing wearing a wreath of Holly on his head and walking with the aid of a staff made from a Holly branch.  This is symbolic of the fertile interaction of the Goddess and God during natures decline and the darkest time of the year.  At Yule after his battle with the Oak King, the new light of the sun-God re-emerges to encourage fresh growth during the coming new year.  After the advent of Christianity, and during their Christmas and New Year celebrations, a man would be dressed up and covered in Holly branches and leaves, while a woman was likewise dressed in Ivy (the female counterpart of Holly) and together paraded through the streets leading the old year into the new.

Cautions and Contraindications: Holly berries are toxic to humans and should not be ingested without proper care and training. 

(Herb) Recipes

(Herb) Spells: As a charm to enhance dreams, nine Holly leaves gathered on a Friday after midnight, wrapped in a clean cloth to protect against its needles, and tied up using nine knots was placed under a pillow to make dreams come true.

Sources: https://www.controverscial.com/In%20Worship%20of%20Trees%20-%20Holly.htm