However, berries are not always guaranteed. The most common reason for this is that holly trees are dioecious, meaning that there are male and female holly plants that cannot self-pollinate.

Holly farmer Nick Coller, from the Broads in Norfolk and Suffolk, said his takings would be "20% of what they usually are", after most of his trees failed to produce berries.

Spiky hollies, soft hollies, hollies with red, golden or black berries, towering hollies, short hollies — there's a holly for any landscape situation in Arkansas.

Sellers are warning that people should be prepared for fewer berries on their holly this Christmas due to a national shortage (Getty Images/iStockphoto) ...

Learn how to grow holly trees and bushes for income or decoration to add visual interest to any property.

However, many species of birds love the berries. Holly trees are scattered from the maritime forests of Massachusetts along the coast to Delaware.

Birds rely on holly berries as a source of food in winter, but those same berries are poisonous to humans. (Provided Photo/Karl Anderson) ...

Holly’s dark green leaves and red berries pop against the forest’s lighter hues. We climbed over downed branches, dodged stinging nettles and stomped across carpets of trailing native blackberry.

As Christmas carols top our playlist and The Holly and the Ivy rings out, chances are these thorny leaves and bright red berries are framing your wreath – and lining your favourite winter walk ...