Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria

Yaupon is fast growing evergreen shrub or small tree in the Aquifoliaceae (holly) family, native to the eastern USA.  It is primarily found in coastal NC in sandy woodlands, shorelines, and shrub thickets.  The genus name Ilex is in reference to the similarity of the evergreen leaves to Quercus ilex or holm oak.  The leaves of the parent plant were used for ceremonial tea, which, when consumed in large quantities, caused a cleansing now memorialized by the specific epithet vomitoria.

It can reach 10 to 20 feet tall, sometimes as tall as 30 feet, and 8-12 feet wide.  This shrub is dioecious meaning it has separate male and female plants.  To achieve the attractive bright red signature red fruits both male and female shrubs must be planted. 

Plant in average well-drained soils in sun to shade, though it will produce more fruit and have a thicker canopy with more sun.  It is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and can withstand both drought, salt spray, and occasional flooding. This plant can take heavy pruning, transplants easily, and is resistant to Phytophthora root rot.   It root cuskers easily and if those suckers are left unpruned, it will form a thicket.  

The leaves are small, leathery and bright green and are not prickly like other hollies. They provide a larval food source to butterflies.  Tiny white fragrant, nectar-rich, flowers appear in spring on separate male and female plants. The flowers are very attractive to pollinators like bees and butterflies. If fertilized, female shrubs produce showy red drupes in fall, persisting through winter, and those fruits are enjoyed by songbirds and small mammals. The plant will form thickets unless suckers are removed.

Take advantage of the showy red fruits and use this plant as a specimen.  Its small evergreen leaves make it deal for sheering into a screen or hedge, or use it in topary.  The tightly packed leaves also work well as a windbreak or barrier planting.  Because of its height it can add dark green color the back of a border.  This plant also does well in large containers.  There are dwarf and weeping cultivars available.

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. 

Quick ID Hints:

• Leaves are alternate, 1" long, 1/2" wide with rounded apex and base.
• Very young stems are purplish in color and turn silvery-gray as they age.
• Petioles are purplish.
• Produces translucent red berries.

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.

Additional Video: Yaupon holly part of a series of Native Plant Picks from the North Carolina Sea Grant Coastal Landscapes Initiative.