Boughs of holly? Not likely, unless you live down South

West Allis - People can deck the halls inside and out with panache, but if they want to "deck the halls with boughs of holly," they'll probably have to go some place warm like Virginia or North Carolina.

That's where the holly grows into trees that top 20 or 30 feet, said Alice Mueller, the horticulturalist for Hawk's Nursery in Elm Grove. Down there, it would be easy to whack off a nice big bough to deck the halls, she said.

Even though holly is an evergreen just like our pine trees, it doesn't much like the weather up here, where it is simply too cold and the winter wind just cuts through too quick, Mueller said. Not only that, holly likes its soil a little on the acidic side - around here all you get is alkaline, she said.

Despite all that, they do manage to grow here and Hawks has holly ready to plant. Here in the north, holly is happier in a protected nook in soil that has been reworked to be more to its liking, she said.

Although you can't deck the halls with boughs of holly in Wisconsin, you can deck the halls with sprigs of holly.

Grasch Foods in Brookfield, some Sendik's Food Markets and perhaps other stores sell holly sprigs by the bunch.

They are 18- to 20-inches long and are sold by the half pound at Grasch's for $5.99 and $7.99, depending on the type of holly, said Trish Buckner, floral manager. And holly is very popular all season long.

People tuck the sprigs in with evergreens in vases and for centerpieces, she said. With their cuttings in water, the holly sprigs are fine, she said. You can lay them on the mantel, too, but like any branches out of water, they will dry out, she said.

Also, although the holly looks terrific in evergreen wreaths on the front door and in outdoor swags, better not go there, Buckner said.

"It doesn't take much to freeze holly," she said, and then the leaves turn black.