The glossy evergreen leaves and brilliant red berries of American holly (Ilex opaca) are popular components of holiday decorations right now.

As with every pretty flower that tempts the adventurous gardener, you might be wondering if American holly has potential here or which of its holly cousins make the best substitutes.

American holly has potential in the Lawrence area if planted in sandy, well-drained soil with protection from drying winter winds and a little bit of shade in the summer months. There are a few tucked around town and in surrounding communities that have survived for decades in the right site.

If you decide to try it, remember the trees grow slow and average 15 to 30 feet tall, but in the right soil and environmental conditions they can grow to 100 feet. They have a pyramidal shape that opens up with age. Also, plan to plant two. All hollies are dioecious (have distinct male and female plants), so both a male and female are needed to get berries. If space is available for more plants, a 1-to-10 male-to-female ratio is sufficient for berry production.

Cultivars of American holly offer larger or more abundant berries, yellow berries instead of red, better drought tolerance, smaller mature sizes, and other desirable attributes.

American holly grows wild from Massachusetts to Florida and west to eastern Texas and the very southeastern corner of Missouri.

For gardeners with less space or who prefer less risky options, there are many suitable evergreen holly options.

Meserve hybrid hollies (Ilex x meserveae) are the most similar to American holly in appearance. The Meserve holly line is named for a woman in New York who crossed the cold, hardy prostrate holly with the English holly in the 1960s and ’70s. Blue Prince and Princess, Blue Boy and Girl, and China Boy and Girl are popular cultivars that are widely available. In some cases you can even find the male and female versions of these shrubs grafted together in the same pot to save space in the landscape.

Inkberry (Ilex glabra) is a widely available large shrub with long, slender leaves that are evergreen but otherwise bear little resemblance to American holly. Berries are black except for a few cultivars with white or off-white berries.

Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) is also a shrub with great variability in size depending on cultivar. It has shorter, rounded leaves that lack the spines of American holly and also bears black berries.

— Jennifer Smith is a former horticulture extension agent for K-State Research and Extension and horticulturist for Lawrence Parks and Recreation. She is the host of “The Garden Show” and has been a gardener since childhood. Send your gardening questions and feedback to features@ljworld.com.