American holly

Gone are the days when the American holly along the Susquehanna River stretched strong and stately some 65 feet tall.

Salt spray naturally prunes the forest’s American holly, sassafras, black cherry and shadblow trees into a gnarled canopy.

Atlantic white cedars grow among little blue stem, American holly and the eastern prickly pear- the only cactus native to the Northeast.

The American holly also yields its branches for Christmas greens.

Visitors to Sailors Haven can stroll the boardwalk through the dune-protected sunken forest, marked by American holly trees up to 300 years old and tangles of wild grape, greenbrier and other vines.