What Makes The Laurel And Holly Tree Leaves So Waxy And Shiny?

The function of the laurel and holly tree leaves is to seal the water inside them during the cold winter months, a task which has a lot to do with the physical formation and texture of the leaves.  Unlike all other trees, which shed their leaves in autumn and become bare, the laurel and holly trees are both evergreen and shed only their old leaves and develop new ones.  This process continues throughout the entire year.  

The leaves of the holly and laurel trees retain water within them to use it in the winter when it becomes too cold for the roots to draw water for the tree.  Their waxy surface and smooth leathery texture ensures that the water is preserved safely within their green tissues.

Some holly leaves also have a further modification.  The leaves on the lower branches, which are in clear reach of animals and other creatures, have a series of sharp points at their edges to keep animals from harming the leaves and continue to preserve water for the trees for the winter.