Ilex aquifolium is a beautiful, slow-growing, medium-sized tree or shrub species in the Aquifoliaceae family. This plant is dioecious and thus produces male and female flowers on individual plants, which are similar in appearance. Female flowers have a visible green ovary in the centre of their blooms (which appears as a small bump), and male flowers have 4 yellow stamens. The leaves are dark green, stiff and glossy with sharp spiked edges. In the spring, delicate white flowers are followed by bright red, glossy berries on pollinated female plants, these are a very popular food source for birds!