Yaupon holly

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Yaupon holly is a native plant that grows in the warmer parts of the eastern United States and is our only plant that contains caffeine. Is has a cool scientific name, ilex vomitoria – Catawba Indians drank massive amounts of brewed tea in an annual purging ceremony, but nothing in it causes vomiting. Hollies are male or female, the female yaupons have lovely red berries and they stay on the plant a long time as birds don’t not eat them unless there isn’t much else, and the evergreen leaves don’t have stickers, a good plant for hedges. The dwarf cultivars are a terrific foundation plant as they can take sun or part shade, are disease free, and can be pruned but if you leave them alone their natural shape is even more attractive.