Festive wreath business is hard on holly

IN THE run up to Christmas, holly trees get a battering. It’s not just a few sprigs to decorate the house, there are also commercial collectors who sometimes cut down whole trees.

Every December, wild holly is exported from Ireland for sale in Christmas markets on the continent. This doesn’t appear to be illegal, but it should be because holly is a native tree and its berries and dense evergreen foliage are very important for wildlife. It’s also not that common in the wild.

It’s important to birds and small mammals. But it’s also the host plant for the caterpillars of one of our rarer and more beautiful native butterflies — the holly blue.