The original item was published from December 16, 2024 12:12 PM to February 17, 2026 11:04 AM
December 16, 2024
Dear Weeders,
I visited a couple pals on Bainbridge Island over the Thanksgiving holiday. They have two little girls and the oldest gifted me a holiday wreath she had made. My first reaction was heart-melting gratitude; my second reaction was, “Ahhhh HOLLY!"
It’s the curse of being a Noxious Weed Specialist. My appreciation of a landscape frequently gets hijacked by neurotic, searching eyes, zooming in on invasive plants. Shortly after taking in the stunning red berries of the holly sprigs contrasting with the dark green foliage of the wreath, my brain flashed to memories of the commercial holly orchards I'd observed in Kitsap County; then to the thickets of holly I stumbled on growing wild all over Bainbridge Island; birds with holly berries in their beaks; withered wreaths tossed on brush and compost piles; work crews solely dedicated to finding and removing escaped holly in Puget Sound forests.
Holly's here too. Have you seen it? Where would you place it on the invasion curve (the topic of the last post)?
You might be surprised to know, that our staff could probably find holly in just about any patch of forest in the San Juans, including on remote islands. The seeds are spread widely by birds, and also holiday wreaths. Once established, holly can create dense thickets that crowd out native species and increase wildfire risk by creating ladder fuels in forest understories. Holly plants are difficult to control because they readily sprout back from the roots when cut. Fragments of trunks or branches contacting the ground can develop roots, creating new plants. Young plants often surrender their roots to a firm hand or weed wrench. Larger bushes are best dispatched by sawing or lopping them off at ground level, followed with a dab of an appropriate herbicide on the fresh stump to prevent resprouting. Sizable infestations of holly trees can be frilled using a hatchet and squirt bottle, or injected with a special tool (call us for a demonstration).
If you’ve discovered a patch of holly on your property, prioritize dealing with berry-producing trees first to minimize further spread. Avoid chipping branches with berries or dumping plant material in uninfested places. If you’re a wreath builder, consider alternatives for the red and green contrast such as the native Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), non-invasive holly species, or combine the look-alike leaves of Oregon grape with a string of bright cranberries. If you’re a wreath receiver, clip the berries off and dispose of them in the garbage before tossing out the remains of the wreath at the end of the season.
For more information and photos, check out this great publication from the King County Noxious Weed Control Program.
Need more support? Get in touch! Noxiousweeds@sanjuancountywa.gov or 360-376-3499