Holly ( Female ) Taken at Hogganfield Loch on 27th January 2022 using Panasonic Lumix TZ70 in macro mode. Taken at Ardmore Point on 20th October 2019 using Nikon D500 with Sigma 600 mm zoom lens. Holly. Species: Order: Family: Habit: Ilex aquifolium. Aquifoliales. Aquifoliaceae. Evergreen shrub. Habitat: Height: Fruit: Feature: Shady areas of forests of oak and in beech hedges. Can exceed 10m. The fruit only appears on female plants, which require male plants nearby to fertilise them. Fruits appear from October or November; at this time they are very bitter due to the Ilicin content and so are rarely eaten until late winter after frost has made them softer and more palatable.They are eaten by rodents, birds and larger herbivores The berries are generally regarded as toxic to humans. In traditional medicine, holly is supposed to be diuretic, a relief from fever, and a laxative.