The film capital of the world, laid out in 1887, is probably named for the
California holly or toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), a large shrub that
isn"t a tree holly, but whose scarlet berries, borne from Christmas to
Easter, suggest the holly and are much used for Christmas ornaments.
Hollywood may, however, be the transferred place name of another Hollywood
named for a tree holly, someplace where the holly is a native tree. There
is no proof for the tale that the town was called "Holywood" by its pious
founders, the name corrupting to Hollywood as the town degenerated
morally.