Bloomipedia
Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria)
Photo: mfeaver via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flowering shrub

Yaupon holly

Ilex vomitoria

Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) is a shrub in the Aquifoliaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–April across the U.S.

🌷 Flowering shrubNative in the lower 48

Yaupon holly is a popular flowering shrub. It's on our flower lists for 21 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.

11states where USDA records it
21Bloomipedia state lists include it
33,809U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Our state lists also include states where people grow it in gardens, so they can outnumber USDA's wild-plant records. Planted garden shrubs are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia

Quick look

Ilex vomitoria, commonly known as yaupon or yaupon holly, is a species of holly that is native to southeastern North America. The word yaupon was derived from the Catawban yą́pą, from yą- tree + pą leaf. Another common name, cassina, was borrowed from Timucua.

  • It belongs to the Aquifoliaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 11 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 25 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 18,674 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #19 among the 169 flowers on our Texas list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4,793 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #42 among the 151 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,085 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #86 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (725 records)
Bloom time in the 21 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
Texas🌷 GardenMarch–April18,674
Florida🌷 GardenMarch–April4,793
North Carolina🌷 Gardenfew records (42)2,085
South Carolina🌷 Gardenfew records (32)1,873
Alabama🌷 Gardenfew records (39)1,628
Louisiana🌷 GardenMarch–April1,612
Georgia🌷 Gardenfew records (40)1,304
Mississippi🌷 GardenMarch–April1,037
Arkansas🌷 Gardenfew records (9)300
Virginia🌷 Gardenfew records (6)260
Oklahoma🌷 Gardenfew records (3)179
Tennessee🌷 Gardenfew records (1)63
Maryland🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
California🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Kentucky🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Missouri🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
New Jersey🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
New Mexico🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
New York🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Ohio🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Pennsylvania🌷 Gardenno flowering records0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 15 of our 21 states.
See each state
Texas
Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Texas. 31 TAC 69.8
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe has no Tennessee rank for it. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe has no Maryland rank for it. COMAR 08.03.08
California
Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe has no California rank for it. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe has no Kentucky rank for it. 400 KAR 3:040
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe has no Missouri rank for it. 3 CSR 10-4.111
New Jersey
Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe has no New Jersey rank for it. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
New Mexico
Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe has no New Mexico rank for it. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
New York
Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe has no New York rank for it. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe has no Ohio rank for it. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe has no Pennsylvania rank for it. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
Louisiana
No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Oklahoma.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 in Virginia and S3 in Oklahoma. NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: fruits. Symptoms they list: “Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea” They also note: “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.” NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Ilex aquifolium (“English Holly”), as toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records yaupon holly in 11 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia.

Texas counties with USDA records: Angelina, Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Blanco, Brazoria, Brazos, Caldwell, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Comal, Dallas, DeWitt, Fannin, Fayette, Freestone, Galveston, Gonzales, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Karnes, Lamar, Liberty, Matagorda, McLennan, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Polk, Robertson, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Smith, Tarrant, Travis, Tyler, Upshur, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton.

Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Brevard, Citrus, Clay, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Pitt.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Yaupon holly a medium shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.5 to 7.0 and winter lows down to 7 °F.

Shade tolerance
Medium
Drought tolerance
High
Moisture use
Low
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium
Soil pH range
4.5 to 7.0
Minimum temperature tolerated
7 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
200
Annual precipitation range
36 to 55 inches
Minimum root depth
20 inches
Salinity tolerance
Medium
Fertility requirement
Low
Growth rate
Slow
Lifespan
Long
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Red
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for ILVO. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 254 counties across 10 states; the most are in Louisiana (55), Texas (50), Florida (37).

Other Ilex on Bloomipedia (4): American holly, Winterberry, Inkberry, Japanese holly.

More Texas flowers

American holly (Ilex opaca)

American holly

Ilex opaca

🌷 Flowering tree

🌷 Grown in Texas gardens
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Texas gardens
Japanese holly (Ilex crenata)

Japanese holly

Ilex crenata

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Texas gardens

Sources