holly dessert plate

The bright scarlet berries attract many birds, especially thrushes including blackbirds, fieldfares, redwings and mistle- and song-thrushes. In autumn and early winter the berries are very hard and bitter due to mildly toxic compounds including saponins, flavonoids and cyanogenic glycosides. As winter continues, hard frosts break down these chemicals eventually making the berries palatable in late winter and early spring, when hedgerows are otherwise largely bare. But even now the berries retain some toxicity, so birds eat just a few on each visit. Frequent visits are therefore needed and this aids dispersal of seeds, with a few seeds deposited in droppings in lots of different places over a long period of time.
 
Wheel Thrown plate measuring 8.25”w x 4.25"l x 0.5”h.
 
Dishwasher and microwave safe, hand wash recommended.