Green and prickly leaves, with red berries. Perfect for decorations, as door decorations, or for other Christmas uses. The only evergreen deciduous tree in Norway, the holly, has for many decades been a sought-after commodity for garden centers and at Christmas markets all over Norway. – If you watch British series or films about Christmas, a holly almost always appears, says Hans Langeland from Stord. Holly must have red berries to be attractive as a Christmas decoration. Photo: Olav Røli Central place in “Love Actually” In the Christmas film of all Christmas films, “Love Actually” from 2003, holly plays a leading role. It happens in the legendary scene where clerk Rufus (Rowan Atkinson) wraps a present for Harry (Alan Rickman) after much deliberation. Do you think what happened when Rufus (Rowan Atkinson) pulled out a holly broom to decorate the Christmas present with in the movie Love Actually. Photo: Universal/Courtesy Everett Coll The gift is finally topped with “a sprig of holly”, or a small sprig of holly. Then it spills over for the character Harry, who gives a clear message in English: “No cursed holly”. The tradition of decorating with holly is ancient, especially in the British Isles. Holly Photo: Olav Røli Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is an evergreen tree in the holly family. It is considered the northern extension of evergreen deciduous forests around the Mediterranean. There are about 400 species in the Ilex genus, but only one in Europe. Likes best in areas with mild winters and hot summers, and tolerates poor average temperatures lower than – 0.5 degrees C. The wood from holly is called bone wood. It is considered to have the highest calorific value of all types of wood in Norway, ahead of yew, beech, oak, ash and rowan. Branches from the holly tree with red berries have been a common decoration for a long time in Christian countries. There are three protected areas for holly in Norway, Brandvik protected area, Raudøya nature reserve and Uføra nature reserve. Source: Nibio and SNL Decorations with holly have long traditions in Norway too. – It’s a fantastically beautiful decoration, says Langeland. – People don’t want to risk their lives in the tree But now something has happened to the tradition. All over Southwest Norway, producers used to queue up to deliver bouquets and wreaths to customers. There were over 15 producers in the municipality of Stord alone. Thorns were sent to both Bergen and Austlandet in large quantities. Now there is only Hans Langeland left. In peak years he produced several thousand bouquets and wreaths, but this year there have only been a few hundred. Some go to the Christmas market in Bergen, while some go to the neighbor who also sells Christmas trees. – Such is the development. People have good jobs and can’t bear to stand in a tree with their lives as an effort to get hold of holly, he believes. Kirsten Eggen visits the Christmas market in Bergen. For her, it wouldn’t be Christmas without holly. Photo: John Inge Johansen / news Great decline Gunnar Helle Berge at Nedstrand in Rogaland remembers a time when farmers in the area pinched large quantities of holly and delivered to a wholesaler in Haugesund. From there it went to the whole of Norway, from south to north. The many producers were organized in their own ornamental green team. Now everything is history. – The problem is probably compounded. But many of the old ones stopped, and new ones did not come into existence. It is a pity. Hawthorn was a good supplement for many farmers, says Berge. Christmas tree seller Terje Mjøs sells holly from Stord. He keeps local holly from Western Norway, and does not want to import. Photo: John Inge Johansen / news – The sale is in free fall Egil Bryn in Blomsterringen Wholesale in Sandnes was previously involved and handled large quantities of holly. – In the 80s it was like that I had to have holly for Christmas. Now the holly hall is in free fall, miscellaneous. Maybe there is a bit of a market in the East, but in the South-West it is almost gone, he says. Bryn believes that poor organization among the producers may be the cause of the fall. At the same time, there is one item that is uncertain. Some years there are berries, others not. Without red berries, the product is not attractive. Kjeda Mestergrøn writes in an e-mail to news that the sale of holly is declining, but that they are trying to reverse the trend. Got holly on the manhole cover In the municipality of Stord in Vestland, holly stood out so strongly that it became the holly in the municipal coat of arms in 1987. Since then, holly has adorned everything from the town hall, municipal letterheads, to manhole covers. In this municipality, even the kumlokka has taken on holly. Photo: Olav Røli / news – There are a lot of sea buckthorn throughout Sunnhordland and in Western Norway. And when the municipality had to have a new municipal coat of arms, I quickly went out and secured a holly. He is so beautiful, says Inger Johanne Moe (Ap), who launched the holly idea. It is sad that many producers have now given up. At the same time, she has faith in the future. – I hope the tradition can pick up again, quite simply. That I can talk it up again, she says. Inger Johanne Moe wanted a feminine symbol from nature when she launched the holly in Stord’s municipal coat of arms in 1986. Photo: Olav Røli The holly farmer Hans Langeland is also optimistic. – Everything goes in waves. And suddenly this is just as attractive as it was 15–20 years ago, he says. Hello! Do you have any thoughts after reading this case, or would you like to advise us about similar or other cases. Send me an email.
ttn-69
Before there were many – Now there are almost no producers of holly left – news Vestland
