Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Ilex ligustrina
- Phonetic Spelling
- EE-leks vom-ih-TOR-ee-ah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Yaupon is a small, evergreen tree that may grow 10 to 20 feet tall. The leaves are alternate with a dentate margin. The bark is thin, smooth, and light gray. As the tree ages, the bark might become a bit scaly. In spring, small, greenish-white male flowers mature in clusters. Small, yellow-green, solitary female flowers mature at the same time. Female specimens produce dark red drupes that mature in late fall and early winter.
For best results, grow in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. In its native habitat, it grows in dry to wet conditions, in a variety of soils and in sun or shade. It generally tolerates more drought than most other hollies. Prune in winter if needed. Plants of this species are dioecious (separate male and female plants). Female plants need a male pollinator in the area in order to bear fruit. Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalization is desired. This species has been known to tolerate flooded conditions for extended periods of time. Tolerates salt and wet sites. It makes a good screen, windbreak, or security plant, grows rapidly, and it transplants easily. This plant can take heavy pruning and is good for topiary.
Colonial. Dioecious: need male pollinator plant to get female fruit set. Difficult to find the straight species in the trade.
Fire Risk: This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No insect or disease problems when planted in their native habitat. Holly leaf miner, spider mites, whitefly, and scale are occasional problems. Leaf spot, leaf rot, tar spot, and powdery mildew are potential disease problems.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves are alternate, 1" long, 1/2" wide.
- Very young stems are purplish in color and turn silvery-gray as they age.
- Petioles are purplish.
- Produces translucent red berries.
- Profile Video:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Bordeaux'
- 'Stokes Dwarf'
- 'Virginia Dare'
dwarf 'Pendula'
weeping form
dwarf form
- 'Bordeaux'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Bordeaux'
- 'Stokes Dwarf'
- 'Virginia Dare'
dwarf 'Pendula'
weeping form
dwarf form
- 'Bordeaux'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ilex
- Species:
- vomitoria
- Family:
- Aquifoliaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native American Indians used the leaves to make a ceremonial emetic drink which, when consumed in large quantities, caused a cleansing now memorialized by the specific epithet.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- USA, to Mexico
- Distribution:
- Coastal Plains and Maritime Forests, cultivated
- Fire Risk Rating:
- high flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It is a host plant for the Henry's Elfin butterfly. Butterflies nectar at the blooms. The fruits are eaten by songbirds and small mammals. Also provides winter cover. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- This plant is highly resistant to damage from deer and salt tolerant.
- Edibility:
- The young leaves may be picked, browned and dried in an oven, steeped in hot water and used to make Yaupon tea. It contains caffeine.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 29 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Multi-trunked
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Pollinated flowers on female plants give way to shiny, globose, berry-like red-orange (infrequently yellow) translucent fruits (1/4” diameter) clustered along the stems, which ripen in fall and persist into winter. Birds are attracted to the fruit.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small greenish-white flowers that appear on male and female plants in the spring (April). The flowers are fragrant but generally inconspicuous. They grow solitary or in pairs and are clustered on peduncles in leaf axils.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Elliptic to ovate-oblong, alternate, simple, leathery, glossy, evergreen, dark green leaves (to 1.5” long) with shallowly toothed margins.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Thin, smooth and light gray. As the tree ages, the bark might become a bit scaly.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Young stems are purple and turn gray to white-gray as they age.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Security
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt
- Wet Soil
- Wind
