The English Holly Bush

The house where I live was built by a Minister. In the back yard is a holly bush that doesn’t produce berries, so I decided to look up the history of the holly bush and found out you have to plant two because they are male and female. Christian folklore states that holly leaves used to fall off during the winter as did the leaves of an oak. When the Holy Family ran from Herod's soldiers a holly tree hid them by its trunk while the leaves closed tightly in around them. Herod's men did not see them and they escaped.

The Christians adopted the holly tradition for their own from the Druids and Romans. The holly berries represent the blood Jesus shed while on the cross on the day of Crucifixion.  The prickly green holly leaves represent the "crown of thorns" placed on his head. In pre-Victorian England, the Christmas tree was actually a holly bush!  Holly was brought in the home to protect the family from malevolent faeries, or to allow the faeries to remain in the home without creating trouble for the homes occupants during the winter season. Holly wreaths were made as door charms.   http://www.gardenguides.com/101748-history-holly-trees-bushes.html