Plant of the Month: Yaupon Holly

Like many other hollies, yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) is an evergreen shrub or tree that is loved for the colorful berries it produces on the female plants. Yaupon is dioecious which means that male and female flowers are born on separate plants; male yaupon hollies do not produce berries. The berries can be red, orange, or even yellow, and birds and other wildlife will feed on them through the winter months.

Both male and female plants produce small white flowers in spring which attract pollinators. Their small leaves are oval, serrated, and dark green. Yaupon hollies' dense and shrubby evergreen growth make them ideal for screens or hedges while also providing habitat for songbirds and other wildlife.

(©UF/IFAS, Edward Gilman)

Used by Mobile County Master Gardeners with permission

Yaupon Holly by Joseph A Marcus