Ilex rotunda
The bright red berries of the holly tree are a common Christmas decoration, and the kurogane holly is a species that could be found in low-altitude areas in Taiwan. This plant is widely cultivated in urban green spaces and parks in Taiwan due to its vibrant fruit color and beautiful tree shape. You can see it in our Botanical Garden and the Evolution Trail.
In the evergreen holly species found in Taiwan, the kurogane holly grows at the lowest elevations, making it the most easily observed species in lowland areas. It is dioecious, with gray-green bark and smooth branches. The leaves are hard coriaceous, with a deep green upper surface and a light green underside. The petioles are dark purple, and the leaves are oblong oval or elongated ovate, with a caudate apex. The fruits turn a bright, eye-catching red when mature.
There are over 120 kurogane holly trees along the Evolution Trail. Many blackboard trees, which are native to tropical regions, were originally planted here. Although blackboard trees have the advantages of beautiful shape and fast growth, the wood structure is brittle, making them prone to leaning, breaking branches, or even trunk fractures after typhoons, which poses a risk to public safety. Considering the gradual aging of the blackboard trees, which have already experienced high branches breaking or trees collapsing, the museum decided to plant kurogane holly seedlings around the area before transplanting the blackboard trees for public safety and impression. After more than a decade, the kurogane holly saplings grew to over 7 meters. In collaboration with the Taichung City Government, 97 blackboard trees, each over 20 meters tall, were removed in three batches between 2022 and 2023. This successfully mitigated the impact on the overall road landscape after the removal of the blackboard trees and completely eliminated the high risk they posed to public safety.