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| Holly Ilex aquifolium (white-pink) |
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| Flower Meaning: Acceptance, Cleansing, Compassion, Cooperation, Grace, Joy, and Love |
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| Bloom and Blossom: Above all else, the soul seeks in its evolution to experience real love. This is the most fundamental lesson for the soul, and at the same time the most challenging. Holly is therefore a foundational remedy with many broad-based applications, for it restores the soul's ability to feel unity and wholeness. When we feel separate from others we can take no joy or compassionate interest in their affairs; instead our isolation is compounded into negative states of jealousy, envy, suspicion or anger. The soul grasps for its share of love as though it were a limited commodity, rather than realizing that love is an infinite resource which is divinely available to all. Holly nourishes the heart, helping the individual to make and sustain the shift from a limited and narrow conception of the Self, to one which is expansive and inclusive of others. In this way, the soul experiences wholeness or "holiness," for it feels permeated with divine love. This sense of sacred unity is the very special gift and teaching of the Holly flower. The colors that represent Holly are white and pink. The positive qualities of Holly are: Loving and inclusive gestures to others; heartfelt compassion; and ability to express gratitude to others. |
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| Flower Facts: Hollies are shrubs and trees with a wide distribution in Asia, Europe, north Africa, and North and South America. The leaves are simple, and can be either deciduous or evergreen depending on the species, and may be entire, finely toothed, or with widely-spaced, spine-tipped leaves. Hollies are mostly dioecious, with male and female flowers on different plants, with some exceptions. Pollination is mainly by bees and other insects. The fruit is a small berry, usually red when mature, with one to ten seeds. Hollies are extremely important food for numerous species of birds, and also are eaten by other wild animals. In the fall and early winter the berries are hard and apparently unpalatable. After being frozen or frosted several times, the berries soften, and become edible. During winter storms, birds often take refuge in hollies, which provide shelter, protection from predators (by the spiny leaves), and food. In many Western cultures, holly is a traditional Christmas decoration, used especially in wreaths. Many of the hollies are highly decorative, and are widely used as ornamental plants in gardens and parks. The wood is heavy, hard and white; one traditional use is for chess pieces. |