#I just think of the hollyberry kingdom as more summer-y

[lolo3hwriting]

A Horticulture Student’s Analysis of Hollyberry Cookie

So in many of my horticulture classes, holly plants were talked about frequently because they are used so much in the industry, or more specifically the ornamental and landscaping parts. All of this discussion constantly reminded me of hollyberry cookie, who is one of my favorite characters in cookie run kingdom. In addition to explaining the symbolism of holly plants, I wanted to give a different perspective of hollyberry cookie’s connection to the plant she is named after.

A lot of this is based on my prior experiences with my horticulture classes and internships/volunteering at gardens, and some of it is supplemented by university extension papers.

Holly is known to be tolerant of many different environmental conditions and still be able to thrive. Hot and cold climates, humid or dry, full sun or shade, poor and compact soil, sandy or clay, it can survive all of it. Of course, different holly varieties have their own individual preferences, but as a whole hollies are remarkably hardy. This could reflect in her combat style as she is a defense-type and in the lore has high endurance.

Holly plants are dioecious, meaning they have male and female plants. Most hollies planted are female because only they produce the characteristic bright red berries. I thought that this could tie into Hollyberry’s motherly attitude and her very feminine appearance (with the big dress and pink colors).

Hollies are also famously evergreen, retaining their green foliage year-round. This constant vitality could symbolize Hollyberry Cookie’s ever-present energy, optimism, and nurturing spirit. Like the evergreen holly she brings life, hope, and warmth to those around her.

Sources:

https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_ilop.pdf

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/shrubs/holly/

https://hles.unl.edu/holly-0

https://extensiongardener.ces.ncsu.edu/gardening-publications-2/extgardener-previous-newsletters/extgardener-past-features/extgardener-deck-the-landscape-with-hollies/

https://extension.psu.edu/holly-legends-customs-and-myths