Dahoon Holly

{"key":"dahoon","id":"PLT-ILEX-CASSINE","slug":"dahoon-holly","name":"Dahoon Holly","botanical":"Ilex cassine","h":[20,30],"w":[8,12],"install":[6,3],"treeForm":"narrow","color":"#60794f","native":true,"type":"trees","categoryLabel":"Trees","reviewDate":"2026-09-08","guideKind":"Native moist-site evergreen guide","eyebrow":"A NARROWER GREEN CROWN FOR MOISTER GROUND","benefit":"Find an evergreen tree that belongs in the soil you have.","intro":"Dahoon Holly offers an upright green layer with a lighter, more open character than a tightly clipped hedge. Its smooth-looking leaves and seasonal berries can make a moist garden corner feel intentional. Let the tree connect the lower planting to the larger landscape without filling every part of the view.","light":"Full sun to part shade","lightTags":["sun","part"],"water":"Best in moist soil; dry sites need additional watering and may produce a thinner crown","season":"Evergreen foliage · red berries on pollinated female trees · quiet spring flowers","care":"Choose a sound nursery form, monitor moisture and guide branches around access routes","caution":"Choose Ilex cassine by name. Dahoon, Yaupon, and hybrid hollies are not interchangeable. A narrow crown still needs root space, and wet-soil tolerance does not promise tolerance of saltwater flooding. Berries are for landscape and wildlife interest, not eating.","site":"Consider Dahoon in a Pensacola landscape with a naturally moist bed or a sheltered freshwater edge. It can help give that area structure, but the planting should work with a sound drainage plan. Before buying, look at the spot in both wet weather and the hottest dry period.","sizeNote":"The guide uses UF/IFAS’s common landscape range of 20–30 ft high and 8–12 ft wide. The same source notes that Dahoon can reach 40 ft. Leave appropriate overhead and root space; a slender nursery tree is not evidence that the surrounding bed can remain narrow forever.","uses":["An upright tree for a moist garden","A native evergreen focal point","A loose mixed screen","Seasonal fruit in a wildlife border","A freshwater landscape transition"],"checks":[["Will the soil support a full crown?","A tree placed in a dry exposed bed may need ongoing help to look the way you pictured. Choose the planting location around its moisture preference from the start."],["How much screening do you need?","Study the actual nursery tree and its lower branches. Dahoon can be open in character, so do not treat every specimen as an instant solid wall of green."],["Which holly is on the label?","Record the botanical name with the plant choice. A similar common name or familiar rendering-library object does not establish the same mature size or growing needs."],["Where will routine work happen?","Leave room for pruning access, irrigation checks and movement beside the planting. The finished layout should work when the tree is mature, not just on installation day."]],"faq":[["Does Dahoon like wet ground?","It is naturally associated with moist and wet habitats. Assess freshwater conditions, duration of flooding and seasonal dryness separately; it should not be used to conceal a drainage problem."],["Will every Dahoon produce berries?","No. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Female trees need compatible male pollen nearby to develop the seasonal fruit display."],["Is it the same as East Palatka Holly?","No. East Palatka belongs to the hybrid Ilex × attenuata group. Use the named plant’s own dimensions and growing guidance when comparing selections."]],"sources":[["UF/IFAS · Dahoon Holly dimensions, water needs and form","https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST299"],["Florida Native Plant Society · Dahoon Holly habitat and fruiting","https://www.fnps.org/plant/ilex-cassine"],["Florida Native Plant Society · Ilex × attenuata identity","https://www.fnps.org/plant/ilex-x-attenuata"]],"wholeCaption":"Illustrative Dahoon Holly with an open upright crown; fuller growth depends on the site and selection.","detailCaption":"Illustrative elongated Dahoon leaves and red fruit on a female tree; the leaf margins are much less prickly than American Holly.","aliases":["dahoon","dahoon holly","ilex cassine","evergreen","moist soil","red berries"],"goals":["privacy","color"],"images":{"context":{"id":"6aa02557104d5b0342dccc6a","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa02557104d5b0342dccc6a_landova-tree-dahoon-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Dahoon Holly","width":1600,"height":900},"whole":{"id":"6aa025572c7af124b507043a","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa025572c7af124b507043a_landova-tree-dahoon-whole.webp","alt":"Illustrative whole-plant form of Dahoon Holly","width":1254,"height":1254,"fit":"contain"},"detail":{"id":"6aa0255809e2740e0542c189","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa0255809e2740e0542c189_landova-tree-dahoon-detail.webp","alt":"Illustrative foliage and seasonal detail of Dahoon Holly","width":1122,"height":1402}},"companions":[{"slug":"sweetbay-magnolia","name":"Sweetbay Magnolia","title":"Compare a larger tree for moister ground","reason":"Sweetbay is a taller option with flowers and a different winter character. Compare it as an alternative or place it in a separate generous part of the plan.","image":{"id":"6aa0255603dcd1c846836d85","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa0255603dcd1c846836d85_landova-tree-sweetbay-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Sweetbay Magnolia","width":1600,"height":900}},{"slug":"soft-rush","name":"Soft Rush","title":"Keep the lower layer suited to the site","reason":"Soft Rush can work in a suitably moist, bright foreground. Allow its clumps to mature without closing the walking route or crowding the tree base.","image":{"id":"6aa00d1713cf571cf7f1bdb3","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa00d1713cf571cf7f1bdb3_landova-grass-softrush-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Soft Rush","width":1600,"height":900}}]}