Ilex latifolia 'Alva' Canopy Trees and titi swamps from the

and titi swamps from the Carolinas to the Gulf

the plant rewards rich soil and ample water through hot summers

stays evergreen year round

meaning "two-colored

where the arching branches and pink brushes draw hummingbirds and bees through the heat of summer

Ilex latifolia 'Alva' Canopy Trees and titi swamps from theIlex latifolia is the holly that stops people in their tracks, an evergreen tree carrying the largest leaves of any holly, glossy, leathery, and up to eight inches long, more like a magnolia or a loquat than the little prickly leaves most gardeners expect. The edges are finely serrated rather than spined, the surface a deep polished green, and on female trees such as 'Alva' tight clusters of small red berries stud the branches through fall and winter.