General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Tree
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Wet Mesic
Mesic
Dry Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Plant Height: 20 - 25 feet
Leaves: Evergreen
Broadleaf
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Flowers: Inconspicuous
Fragrant
Flower Color: White
Flower Time: Spring
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Provides winter interest
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Birds
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Drought tolerant
Salt tolerant
Toxicity: Fruit is poisonous
Other: Berries contain toxins, if ingested by humans or animals can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Cuttings: Tip
Pollinators: Bees
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth
Dioecious

Image
Common names
  • Yaupon Holly
  • Vomit Holly
  • Yaupon
  • Cassina
  • Winterberry

Photo Gallery
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2016-12-27
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2011-10-12
I use this when decorating for Christmas. The robins and ceder wa
Location: Kyle, Texas
Date: 2017-10-25
Yaupon holly berries are profuse in the fall

Date: 2024-01-04
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2016-12-27
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2016-12-27
Location: Houston area
Date: 2012-10-23
Location: Cape San Blas, FL
Date: 2023-12-23
Location: Zilker Nature Preserve, Austin, Texas
Date: 2022-04-05
Location: Aberdeen, NC
Date: April 24, 2022
Yaupon  #54; RAB p. 679, 112-1-3; LHB p.630, 111-1-9, "Latin name
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas -- Bad Internet right now; If in wrong place, feel free to comment. Photos might jump sometimes
Date: 2022-04-04
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas -- Bad Internet right now; If in wrong place, feel free to comment. Photos might jump sometimes
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas -- Bad Internet right now; If in wrong place, feel free to comment. Photos might jump sometimes
Location: Aberdeen, NC
Date: April 24, 2022
Yaupon  #54; RAB p. 679, 112-1-3; LHB p.630, 111-1-9, "Latin name
Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-11-25
Yaupon Holly 002
Location: Aberdeen, NC
Date: December 1, 2021
Yaupon  #54 ; RAB p. 679, 112-1-3; LHB p.630, "Ancient Latin name
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2016-12-27
Location: Aberdeen, NC Pages Lake park
Date: April 12, 2023
Yaupon  #54 ; RAB p. 679, 112-1-3; LHB p.630, "Ancient Latin name
Location: South Georgia
Date: October 18, 2015
Propagate twig cuttings from female Yaupon 20 ft. tree
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2016-12-27
Location: Cape San Blas, FL
Date: 2023-12-23
Location: Aberdeen, NC on Sycamore street
Date: April 24, 2022
Yaupon  #54; RAB p. 679, 112-1-3; LHB p.630, 111-1-9, "Latin name
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2011-11-25
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2013-12-26

Date: 2024-01-04
Location: My yard in Arlington, Texas.
Date: Fall 2009
Birds love these berries.
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2015-04-12
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2016-02-27
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2012-04-13
Location: Charleston, SC
Date: 2019-01-29
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2016-03-31
Location: Jefferson County, Texas
Date: March 19, 2012
Male flowers of Yaupon Holly
Location: Jefferson County, Texas
Date: March 19, 2012
Male flower of Yaupon Holly
Location: Waynesboro MS
Date: 2008-03-31
Location: My Home
Use as added color to arrangement
Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18
Location: My yard in Arlington, Texas.
Date: Fall 2009
The fruit is lovely against the green leaves.
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2016-02-27
Location: Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
Date: 2013-03-04
foliage and red fruit
Location: Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
Date: 2013-03-04
leaves and red fruit close-up
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2016-03-31
Male bloom.
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2016-03-31
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2011-10-13
Be careful what you wish for....I had hoped for more of this, and
Location: Jefferson County, Texas
Date: February 2, 2011
Location: Jefferson County, Texas
Date: March 19, 2012
Female flowers of Yaupon Holly
Location: Jefferson County, Texas
Date: November 30, 2011
Location: Geneva, AL
Date: 2015-02-02
Location: Geneva, AL
Date: 2015-02-02
Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18
Location: My Home
Use as added color to arrangement
Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18

Date: 2013-10-08
Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18
Location: Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
Date: 2013-03-04
small tree
Photo by robertduval14
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by plantladylin (Sebastian, Florida - Zone 10a) on Dec 17, 2011 12:39 PM concerning plant:
    Yaupon Holly is native to the coastal plains of the Southeastern USA. A popular residential landscape tree, this holly is an evergreen shrub to small tree that can attain heights to 25'. It has stiff, dense branches and small, glossy green elliptical shaped leaves. This shrub bears small white flowers during the spring months and the beautiful red berries appear from fall and throughout the winter. The leaves contain caffeine and although I've never tried it the young leaves can be steeped/brewed to make Yaupon tea, which is said to be quite delicious.

    Birds enjoy the berries of the Yaupon Holly but these fruits are toxic to mammals. The berries contain Saponins which can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Jun 7, 2019 9:30 AM concerning plant:
    Yaupon Holly usually is a small tree but can be a large shrub, that can ground sucker to form a thickets. It grows medium to fast of 1 to 3 feet/year. Its native range is from southeast Virginia to central Florida along the Atlantic coastal plain and west to eastern Texas along the Gulf plain, plus southeast Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, growing in both very dry to very wet acid soils. The evergreen leaves are 1/2 to 1.5 inches long and to 3/4 inches wide with rounded, shallowly toothed margins. The small flowers have 4 white petals in auxillary clusters on year old wood; the male flowers are numerous together while the female flowers are solitary or in pairs, plus having a green pistil in the center, and bloom in April. The translucent scarlet drupes (berries) are borne in big quantities and last from late summer to early spring. The species scientific name of "vomitoria" comes from the use of the leaves used to brew a tea by Native Americans that after drinking would induce vomiting to purge the digestive system. There is a good number of cultivars and this species is used commonly in southern landscapes.
  • Posted by Horntoad (Nederland, Texas - Zone 9a) on Apr 16, 2012 3:33 PM concerning plant:
    Yaupon Holly is a dioecious plant, meaning individual plants are either male or female. Only the female plant will have berries.
Plant Events from our members
SteveandJeannie On October 12, 2015 Potted up
Mielikki On December 7, 2019 Obtained plant
WebTucker On April 26, 2022 Bloomed
WebTucker On December 1, 2021 Fruit Ripened
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