Dwarf Yaupon

Ilex vomitoria (EYE-leks vom-mit-TOR-ee-uh 'Dwarf')

Family: Aquifoliaceae Native Shrub (3-15 ft)

Shrub (3-15 ft)Native

'Dwarf' (synonym 'Nana') is a dwarf cultivar of yaupon holly. It is a woody, perennial, broadleaf evergreen shrub in the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). It is native to the eastern United States and Mexico. Dwarf yaupon is a compact, rounded shrub that rapidly grows 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Plant it in average, well-drained, neutral to acidic soils in full sun to partial shade; It will produce more flowers in sun. It is resistant to Phytophthora root rot, drought, salt spray, and deer browsing. Propagate by stem cutting. This cultivar was developed from several seedlings found in the wild in Louisiana. The original 'Dwarf' as introduced by S. Stokes was female. It is not a sport of 'Stokes Dwarf' (synonym 'Schilling's Dwarf'), which is male. It seems quite likely that the cultivars have been confused and mixed up in nurseries over the decades but all sold under the 'Dwarf' or 'Nana' name. ‘Dwarf’ yaupon has brittle, close-knit branches and dark green leaves that are yellow-green when new. This holly spreads wider than it is tall and can withstand heavy pruning, thus it can be used for topiary and formal plantings. The dense evergreen leaves make it a good choice for use as a hedge, screen, windbreak or barrier. Plant at the edge of a pond, in a naturalized area, around a patio, or in a recreational play area. The flowers attract bees, including specialized bees, and the fruits, which are very infrequently produced, attract small mammals and songbirds. Large, old plants can produce fruit more reliably, but this cultivar is not a good choice if fruits are desired. Fire Risk: This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home. Insects, Diseases, and Other Problems: Holly leaf miner, spider mites, aphids, whitefly, and scale are occasional problems. Leaf spot, leaf rot, tar spot, and powdery mildew are potential disease problems. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests. VIDEO: Part of a series of Native Plant Picks from the North Carolina Sea Grant Coastal Landscapes Initiative. More information on Ilex vomitoria .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 77 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Ilex crenata Ilex crenata 'Helleri'

Fills a similar niche Ilex glabra Ilex vomitoria Myrica cerifera

Native alternatives Ilex cassine Ilex vomitoria

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions

Plant type: Native Plant; Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial; Woody
USDA zones: 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture: Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH: Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage: Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry | Occasionally Wet
Available space: 3 feet-6 feet
NC region: Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size: Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate: Rapid
Maintenance: Low
Canopy layer: 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)

Form & Appearance

Habit / form: Dense; Mounding; Multi-stemmed; Rounded
Texture: Fine
Foliage: Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color: Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type: Simple
Leaf arrangement: Alternate
Leaf shape: Ovate
Leaf margin: Crenate
Leaf feel: Glossy; Leathery; Smooth
Leaf value: Good Cut; Long-lasting
Leaf size: 1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present: No
Leaf detail: Alternate, simple, glossy dark green leaves that are 1/2"-1 1/2" long. New growth has a yellow-green tinge. Leaves are oval to ovate and are shallowly toothes around the margin to the base. Leaves are light green on the bottom. Leaves have no black glands beneath them.
Flower color: Green; White
Flower value: Fragrant
Flower form: Cyme; Insignificant
Flower size: < 1 inch
Flower detail: Produces small, greenish-white flowers in spring that are solitary or in pairs and are clustered on peduncles in leaf axils.
Bloom time: Spring
Fruit color: Red/Burgundy
Fruit type: Berry; Drupe
Fruit value: Showy
Fruit size: < 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail: If pollinated, the flowers on female shrubs will mature into persistent red globose berry drupes, although they are not as common or as striking as those of the species. Berries that usually persist to spring.
Bark color: Light Gray
Bark detail: Thin, smooth and light gray to almost white. As the tree ages, the bark might become a bit scaly.
Stem color: Gray/Silver
Stem detail: Very young stems are purplish in color and turn silvery-gray as they age.

Wildlife & Ecology

Native status: Native
Origin: Eastern United States and Mexico.
Wildlife value: Fruits are attractive and food source to birds and small animals, but are rarely produced. Flowers attract bees. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi. Leaves provide food source for deer.
Attracts: Bees; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds; Specialized Bees
Play value: Attracts Pollinators; Edible fruit; Wildlife Cover/Habitat; Wildlife Food Source

Food & Medicine

Edible parts: Fruit; Leaves
Harvest time: Fall; Winter
Fruit type: Berry; Drupe

Edibility

Use caution. The young leaves may be picked, browned and dried in an oven, steeped in hot water and used to make Yaupon tea. It contains caffeine. In quantities, can be mildly toxic.

Uses (ethnobotany)

The wood from this plant was used by Native Americans to make arrows. The leaves were used for ceremonial tea, which, when consumed in large quantities, caused a cleansing now memorialized by the specific epithet. Also contains caffeine.

Landscape Use

Landscape location: Coastal; Naturalized Area; Patio; Pond; Recreational Play Area
Landscape theme: Children's Garden; Edible Garden; Native Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature: Accent; Barrier; Border; Screen/Privacy; Security; Specimen
Garden tags: #specialized bees #salt tolerant #evergreen #children's garden #drought tolerant #nectar plant #edible fruits #pollinator plant #transplant #white flowers #topiary #shrub #pest resistant #fantz #bird friendly #bee friendly #native shrub #showy fruits #red fruits #dense growth #playground plant #evergreen shrub #poolside planting #border middle #highly beneficial coastal plants #barrier #patio #wildlife friendly #cpp #accent #HS111 #NC native #NC Native Pollinator Plant #winter cover #compact #screen

Problems & Resistance

Insect problems: Leafminers of Hollies; Managing the Twolined Spittlebug in the Home Landscape; Armored Scale Identification and Management on Ornamental Plants; Soft Scale Identification and Management on Ornamental Plants; Holly Pest Management Calendar; Pests of Holly
Resistant to: Deer; Drought; Insect Pests; Salt
Particularly resistant to: Phytophthora root rot. Drought and salt spray tolerant, deer resistant.
Propagation: Seed; Stem Cutting
Fire risk: high flammability
Poison severity: Low
Poison parts: Fruits
Poison symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea when consumed in quantity.
Toxic principle: Saponins
Contact dermatitis: No
Toxicity summary: Low severity poison; parts: Fruits

Planted at Hunnicutt

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