Ilex decidua ‘Midas’

‘Midas’ is a male flowering cultivar of this deciduous holly.  A native, upright shrub with a spreading, rounded crown which typically grows 7-15′ tall in cultivation (to 30′ in the wild). Obovate, narrow, glossy, dark green leaves (2-3″ long) turn a dull purplish green to yellow in autumn. The whitish flowers of both male and female plants are relatively inconspicuous. Pollinated female flowers give way to orange-red berries which ripen in September and persist throughout the winter until mid-March when new growth begins. Birds, deer and a variety of small mammals (including opossums as the common name suggests) are attracted to the fruit. (Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder)