Yaupon Holly

{"key":"yaupon","id":"PLT-ILEX-VOMI","slug":"yaupon-holly","name":"Yaupon Holly","botanical":"Ilex vomitoria","h":[15,25],"w":[15,20],"install":[5,4],"treeForm":"vase","color":"#788764","native":true,"type":"trees","categoryLabel":"Trees","reviewDate":"2026-09-08","guideKind":"Native small-tree species guide","eyebrow":"EVERGREEN CHARACTER + FLEXIBLE TREE FORM","benefit":"Give a smaller landscape a lasting green framework.","intro":"Full-size yaupon holly can become an airy small tree or a broad evergreen screen. Its fine leaves and gray branching offer a quieter texture than a large-leaved tree, with red fruit on female plants when pollination is suitable. Decide how open the lower framework should be before placing it beside the spaces you use every day.","light":"Full sun to shade; shade produces a more open crown","lightTags":["sun","part","shade"],"water":"Adaptable to varied soils and moisture; water new plants during establishment","season":"Evergreen fine leaves · small spring flowers · fruit on female plants","care":"Manage unwanted root shoots and guide the form; minimize disturbance beneath established trees","caution":"This is the full-size species, not dwarf or weeping yaupon. Allow a broad crown and possible root shoots. Berry production depends on plant sex and pollination; the berries are for wildlife, not eating.","site":"Yaupon is a practical native candidate for many Pensacola settings, but its intended form matters. An open tree provides a view through the lower branches; a screen occupies more space near ground level. Salt-spray tolerance does not remove the need to assess wind exposure, soil, flooding and access on the actual property.","sizeNote":"UF/IFAS lists 15–25 ft high and 15–20 ft wide for the standard species. The crown can be thinner in shade, and root shoots may form a larger group. This guide keeps the original library plant ID; named dwarf, upright and weeping selections have their own profiles and dimensions.","uses":["An evergreen small-tree accent","A native screen with room to grow","Fine texture beside larger leaves","A wildlife-oriented garden edge","An open tree form beyond a patio"],"checks":[["Do you need a tree or a screen?","Choose whether the planting should allow views under the canopy or fill the lower sightline. Confirm the nursery form and reserve space for how it will be maintained."],["Will root shoots be welcome?","A naturalistic edge can accept a fuller group more easily than a formal paving border. Leave access to remove unwanted shoots and avoid repeated digging around the trunk."],["Are berries part of the design?","Ask whether the nursery plant is female and discuss pollination. Flowers and foliage still contribute even where fruit is limited."],["Which yaupon is actually specified?","Read the full label and compare it with the plan. A dwarf yaupon, a weeping tree and the straight species create very different mature spaces."]],"faq":[["Is yaupon always a low shrub?","No. The full-size species can develop into a 15–25 ft tree. Dwarf cultivars are separate selections and should be chosen with their own mature dimensions."],["Will every plant have red berries?","No. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Choose a known female if fruit matters, with suitable pollination; fruit amounts can still vary."],["Can it grow in shade?","Yes, though the crown becomes more open. Evaluate whether that lighter foliage still gives the amount of screening or structure the design needs."]],"sources":[["UF/IFAS · Yaupon Holly dimensions and culture","https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST311"],["Florida Wildflower Foundation · native habitat and seasonal character","https://www.flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-ilex-vomitoria/"],["Florida Native Plant Society · Yaupon Holly","https://www.fnps.org/plant/ilex-vomitoria"]],"wholeCaption":"Illustrative standard yaupon trained as a small tree; this is not a dwarf or weeping cultivar.","detailCaption":"Illustrative small leaves and red fruit on a female yaupon; fruit is not present on every plant.","aliases":["yaupon","holly","Ilex","native","berries","evergreen","screening"],"goals":["privacy"],"images":{"context":{"id":"6aa0171262f370de12c071ea","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa0171262f370de12c071ea_landova-tree-yaupon-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Yaupon Holly","width":1600,"height":900},"whole":{"id":"6aa01712b833aa77f243546a","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa01712b833aa77f243546a_landova-tree-yaupon-whole.webp","alt":"Illustrative whole-plant form of Yaupon Holly","width":1254,"height":1254,"fit":"contain"},"detail":{"id":"6aa01712ed6287b2dea32279","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa01712ed6287b2dea32279_landova-tree-yaupon-detail.webp","alt":"Illustrative foliage and seasonal detail of Yaupon Holly","width":1122,"height":1402}},"companions":[{"slug":"schillings-dwarf-yaupon-holly","name":"Schilling’s Dwarf Yaupon Holly","title":"Compare the much smaller selection","reason":"Schillings Dwarf is an alternative for a low planting role. Compare its own natural and maintained sizes before substituting it for the species tree.","image":{"id":"6a9f5cd31fbbc23ce58d34ef","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f5cd31fbbc23ce58d34ef_landova-schilling-context-r05.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Schilling’s Dwarf Yaupon Holly"}},{"slug":"big-blue-liriope","name":"Big Blue Liriope","title":"Give an open tree form a low edge","reason":"Big Blue can provide a low layer in compatible light and moisture. Establish the overall planting thoughtfully and protect tree roots from later excavation.","image":{"id":"6aa00228a713a3c64d2d24fb","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa00228a713a3c64d2d24fb_landova-grass-bigblue-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Big Blue Liriope","width":1600,"height":900}}]}