What is the meaning of word holly?

What is the meaning of word holly?

English Language Learners Definition of holly : a tree or bush with dark green leaves and bright red berries also : the branches of this plant which are used for decoration especially at Christmas. See the full definition for holly in the English Language Learners Dictionary. holly. noun. hol·​ly | \ ˈhä-lē \

What is a holly flower?

Ilex (/ˈaɪlɛks/), or holly, is a genus of over 560 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. The species are evergreen or deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers from tropics to temperate zones worldwide.

What is the Latin name for holly?

Ilex
Holly/Scientific names
There are over 200 cultivated varieties of our native holly and while the Latin name, Ilex aquifolium, means ‘with pointed leaves’, not all of them are prickly.

What is the meaning of garden of holly?

Traditionally, the Holly tree is highly sacred in Celtic mythology and symbolises peace and goodwill. The Holly tree’s abundance of spiked leaves are a great spot for garden birds to safely make their nests, providing a natural protection from predators.

Is holly a mistletoe?

The key difference between Holly and Mistletoe is that Holly is a genus of flowering plants while Mistletoe is a common name used to refer to most semi-parasitic plants that belong to the order Santalales. Both holly and mistletoe are two types of plants. Holly plants could be evergreen trees, shrubs or climbers.

What is holly a symbol of?

The Druids regarded holly as a symbol of fertility and eternal life, thought to have magical powers. Today, Christians have adopted the holly tree as a symbol for Christmas. The sharp leaves are said to symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Christ, while the berries represent his blood.

What is Christmas holly called?

Ilex aquifolium is the species of holly long associated with Christmas, and previously the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Its glossy green prickly leaves and bright red berries (produced only by the female plant) are represented in wreaths, garlands and cards wherever Christmas is celebrated.

What is the biblical meaning of holly?

Christ thorn
A holly’s pointed leaves symbolize the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head before he died on the cross. Holly is known as christdorn in German, meaning “Christ thorn.” Both of these symbols are meant to serve as a reminder to Christians of Jesus’ suffering, but they aren’t the only stories tying holly to Jesus.

What deity is associated with holly?

European mythology associated holly with thunder gods such as Thor and Taranis. We now know that the spines on the distinctively-shaped holly leaves can act as miniature lightning conductors, thereby protecting the tree and other nearby objects.