Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) is an evergreen tree or shrub that's native to coastal areas of the south/southeastern United States. It's fairly easy to identify by its light, whitish-gray smooth trunk and stems, and by its small, shiny dark green leaves. Both male and female plants make small white flowers in the spring.
What does Yaupon Holly look like?
Yaupon holly is an upright, evergreen shrub or small tree that usually grows 20 to 30 feet in height. It is characterized by a rounded, open crown. The small leaves are simple, alternate, less than two inches long, and ovate to elliptical in shape. They are thick, leathery and dark green with margins that are scalloped to serrate.
Can you plant dwarf yaupon holly in a line?
For example, you can plant the female ‘Nana’ dwarf yaupon holly type in a line to make a low-lying hedge, and plant a male ‘Condeaux’ in a nearby shrub bed. Typically, the dwarf yaupon holly variety found in garden stores is Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’. However, there are a few other noteworthy dwarf yaupon holly species, listed here:
Do yaupon holly sprouts from the roots?
Yaupon holly readily sprouts from the roots; these sprouts will need to be pruned to the ground two or three times a year to keep the base of your plant looking neat. While yaupon holly is relatively free of serious pests and diseases, scale, leaf miners, mites, and aphids can sometimes be a problem.
What does a yaupon look like?
Each plant produces little greenish-white male or female flowers in the spring, though only the females will bear fruit—small berries that are usually red but sometimes yellow....Yaupon Holly Plant Profile.Botanical NameIlex vomitoriaFlower ColorGreenish-white, followed by red berriesHardiness Zones7 to 9 (USDA)9 more rows•Nov 18, 2021
Can you eat yaupon holly berries?
However, the berries of yaupon and the other hollies are considered highly toxic to humans. As few as six berries have caused a child to vomit, and 20-30 berries have caused fatalities in children. So be careful with them.
Is yaupon holly a tree or bush?
A yaupon holly shrub (Ilex vomitoria) is one of those plants gardeners dream of because it tolerates almost anything. It transplants without shock and thrives in soil that is wet or dry and alkaline or acidic.
Do all yaupon hollies have berries?
When you go to a commercial nursery to purchase a yaupon, they usually all have berries because that's what the customers want. So, you buy the little plants and take them home, and the next year, unless you have a male yaupon within about 40 ft. of your plants, there will be no berries.
Can you make tea from yaupon holly?
Shade-grown 'Schillings' Yaupon Holly grows rangier, with sparser leaves with more open twig and leaf spacing than dense, more-rounded, compact Yaupons grown in full sun. Wither, air dry or oven roast Yaupon leaves to produce long-lasting tea leaves for a stronger black drink, tea, tisane or herbal infusion.
Are yaupon holly berries toxic to dogs?
Although not considered very poisonous, the attractive red or black berries should be considered dangerous to small children [and animals]." Symptoms listed are "nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stupor due to depression of the central nervous system." They also note, "These are the hollies used extensively as Christmas ...
Can you chew yaupon leaves?
That gives the tea a nice, smoky Yerba Mate flavor that is quite good. Quick note: don't chew the raw leaves – they'll irritate your mouth. If you need caffeine THAT bad, you need to seriously consider rehab.
What type of holly do I have?
The best way to identify holly trees and bushes is by looking at the leaves and berries. Individual species of hollies have distinctive glossy leaves with wavy margins and jaggy spines, small blunt points, or smooth edges.
When can you cut back yaupon?
Dwarf yaupon hollies can be lightly pruned or sheared almost any time of year. That said, to avoid freeze damage to tender new growth stimulated by pruning, cease pruning or shearing in fall, two months prior to the average first-frost date in your area. When plants have stopped growing in winter pruning can resume.
What time of year do holly berries appear?
The serrated evergreen foliage and red berries of holly plants have been used as Christmas decorations for centuries because they are one of the few plants that are available and looking alive in December. Female holly plant berries begin to ripen and turn red in autumn.
How much can I trim a yaupon holly?
Prune up to one-third of the branches out of the yaupon holly to open its interior to more sun and air circulation, particularly when the plant is young. Cut down to the base of the stem or where it joins another, larger branch.
How do I get rid of yaupon holly?
Using a disposal paintbrush, paint the cut surface with a wide spectrum herbicide. Do this very quickly, within 5 minutes of cutting, as the root will immediately begin to heal over in order to protect itself. The herbicide should get into the root system and begin to kill it and discourage the production of suckers.
Are Yaupon holly leaves edible?
You can use fresh, dried, or roasted leaves and/or stems to make yaupon tea, but avoid the poisonous berries.
Is Yaupon holly tea safe?
Yaupon tea contains caffeine, which could cause several side effects when consumed in high amounts. Some people may also need to limit caffeine consumption, including those who are pregnant or breastfeeding and people with certain health conditions.
Can you chew yaupon leaves?
That gives the tea a nice, smoky Yerba Mate flavor that is quite good. Quick note: don't chew the raw leaves – they'll irritate your mouth. If you need caffeine THAT bad, you need to seriously consider rehab.
What does yaupon tea taste like?
Yaupon tea has an earthy, sometimes slightly grassy and herbal taste. The overall nuances of yaupon tea depend on how much the leaves were roasted, but the underlying profile is that of green tea or yerba mate. This mellow flavor makes it a great tea to sip anytime, especially when a gentle pick-me-up is needed.
How tall do yaupon hollies get?
The yaupon’s small dark green ovate to elliptical leaves are scalloped and occur alternately on the stem. Trees may grow as tall as 25 or 30 feet.
Where does Yaupon Holly live?
Range & Habitat. Yaupon holly occurs naturally from Texas east to Florida and north to the southern part of Virginia. Its favorite habitat comprises maritime forests, salt marshes, and the woods and swamps of the coastal plain at elevations below 500 feet.
Why is Ilex vomitoria called Ilex?
Ilex vomitoria is the name that seems to stick in everyone's craw. For ages, the conventional theory has been that Ilex vomitoria was named for its purported emetic properties which were witnessed in Native American ceremonies wherein Indians would drink the black drink and then purge or vomit. But contrary to its name, Ilex vomitoria is not ...
How to harvest yaupon leaves?
It’s really easy to harvest the leaves by grabbing the stem near the trunk and sliding your hand outward stripping them off. Or you can just cut the entire stem which makes air-drying easier. To air-dry yaupon leaves on the stem, hang the stems in a warm, dry area for a couple of weeks.
Where is Ilex Vomitoria native to?
Yaupon tea recipe. Yaupon holly ( Ilex vomitoria) is an evergreen tree or shrub that's native to coastal areas of the south/southeastern United States . It's fairly easy to identify by its light, whitish-gray smooth trunk and stems, and by its small, shiny dark green leaves.
How to identify a sage tree?
It's fairly easy to identify by its light, whitish-gray smooth trunk and stems, and by its small, shiny dark green leaves. Both male and female plants make small white flowers in the spring. Female trees make toxic berries which remain on the shrub through fall and winter.
Is yaupon in high demand?
In a time when local, organic food is in such high demand, a product like yaupon should also be in high demand.
How big do yaupon holly shrubs get?
This depends on growing conditions, of course. There are dwarf yaupon holly shrubs that are over 10 feet wide. Theoretically they can even grow to reach the size of non-dwarf varieties. This would be about 20 or even 30 feet wide and tall! However, such specimens are rare.
What is a dwarf yaupon holly?
Dwarf Yaupon holly, a colorful berry shrub. Dwarf yaupon holly is a special variety of holly. Its leaves aren’t as prickly as other holly bush varieties, and its berries are sometimes ever more luminous!
How long does it take for a dwarf yaupon holly to grow?
If planted in the ground, you’ll only need to water your dwarf yaupon holly at the beginning. It’ll need about a year to spread its roots out and settle in.
What diseases do dwarf yaupon holly plants have?
Diseases and dwarf yaupon holly pests. Dwarf yaupon holly is not vulnerable to any of the most common diseases: sooty mold, downy mildew, etc. Pests such as aphids will only briefly set down on your dwarf yaupon holly, before lifting off to more favorable plants (like nasturtium ).
How old does a yaupon holly tree grow?
Like boxwood, however, they can grow very old. Yaupon holly routinely reaches ages of 30, 50 and even 75 years!
Can you feed a yaupon holly in winter?
Air-dry them beforehand for about a week, first. Female specimens boast cute red berries from November to February, and will feed birds in winter, too. Don’t eat them or you’ll trigger throwing up. Leave them for the birds. Although not strictly a heath plant, dwarf yaupon holly tolerates acidic soil.
Can a female yaupon holly bear berries?
Only female specimens can bear berries, and they will only do so if a male specimen is planted nearby. For example, you can plant the female ‘Nana’ dwarf yaupon holly type in a line to make a low-lying hedge, and plant a male ‘Condeaux’ in a nearby shrub bed.
What is a yaupon holly?
Landscape Uses. Back to Top. The yaupon holly ( Ilex vomitoria) is an evergreen shrub or small tree with green leaves and red berries that will add color to your garden throughout the year. Native to the southeastern U.S., yaupon holly is often planted as an informal hedge shrub or privacy screen since it requires minimal shaping ...
Where is the Youpon Holly native to?
A native to the southeastern U.S., youpon holly prefers the conditions common in that region—warm, relatively humid weather. It may struggle to survive winters in the northern end of its hardiness range.
How to propagate Youpon Holly?
Propagating Youpon Holly. Youpon holly is best propagated from small, semi-hardwood cuttings taken in fall. Select small branches and sever the cutting just below a set of leaves. Remove the lower leaves, then coat the cut end with rooting hormone.
How big does Folsom Weeping get?
The native species is somewhat too fast-growing for landscape use, so most of the varieties planted are slower-growing cultivars, including: 'Folsom Weeping': a weeping cultivar that grows 15 to 20 feet high with a spread of 10 to 15 feet.
How to rejuvenate overgrown shrubs?
Badly overgrown shrubs can be rejuvenated by cutting away up to one-third of the branches. Cut selected stems down the base of the plant. When shaping as a hedge, cut the ends of branches back to 1/4 inch above a node facing the direction you want the branch to grow.
Do youpon holly plants need pollinators?
Like other hollies, this species is dioecious (separate male and female plants), so you will need to plant a male pollinator in order for this shrub to flower and bear fruit.
Is holly poisonous to pets?
Like all hollies, the berries of youpon holly contain ilicin, a mildly toxic substance that is considered dangerous to children and animals if eaten in large quantities. Symptoms are listed as "nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stupor due to depression of the central nervous system." The berries are unpleasant to the taste, however, so they are rarely eaten in sufficient quantities to be harmful; no fatalities are reported. But you should take care when using holly branches as indoor holiday decorations, as the berries may fall off and be consumed by pets or children.
