Yaupon Holly

Ilex vomitoria
AKA: Ilex ligustrina

Size: 3, 7, & 15 Gallon Availability 

Tree
Max size: 25’ tall x 12’ wide
Average size: 10-20′ tall x 5-8′ wide

Usually Moist, Moist to Dry, Very Dry
Sand, Clay, Loam
Sun, Part Shade, Full Shade

This evergreen tree is dioecious, meaning it requires a male and female to produce the showy red berries. The red berries appear in fall and last through winter. In spring, they bloom inconspicuous, small white flowers. It can be clonal, producing suckers that are easily managed by pruning, hand pulling, or mowing; with repeated removal, they tend to stop producing suckers as frequently. Once established, it typically grows 1-2ft a year.

The flowers attract a variety of pollinators, especially small native bees and the specialized bee, Colletes banksi. It’s a larval plant for Henry’s Elfin butterfly. The berries are known to be eaten by 25-or-so bird species including: thrashers, cedar waxwings, various songbirds, woodpeckers, mockingbirds, and more.

The plant has a long, rich history of use by North American tribes, primarily as a ceremonial drink. It faded into obscurity, likely due to the complex interaction of indigenous erasure, European exceptionalism, and misrepresentation of it’s use by colonizer writings (C. Folch). In the last decade or so, it has become more popular as a coffee alternative. The leaves are used to make tea and provide a superior caffeine experience due to the interaction of three chemical compounds: caffeine, theobrime, and theacrine.

Additional sources: FNPS, Atlas of Florida Plants, NC State Extension, C. Folch, Florida Wildflower Foundation, Institute for Regional Conservation, D. Austin, American Botanical Council