Flowering shrub

Yaupon holly

Ilex vomitoria

🌷 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

21of our state lists

33,809U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. 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.
From Wikipedia's article Ilex vomitoria, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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

Yaupon holly gift ideas

Handmade yaupon holly gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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Yaupon holly art print
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Yaupon holly mug
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Yaupon holly earrings
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Yaupon holly embroidery pattern
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (725 records)

Bloom time in each of our 21 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Texas	🌷 Garden	March–April	18,674
Florida	🌷 Garden	March–April	4,793
North Carolina	🌷 Garden	April–May	2,085
South Carolina	🌷 Garden	March–April	1,873
Alabama	🌷 Garden	March–April	1,628
Louisiana	🌷 Garden	March–April	1,612
Georgia	🌷 Garden	March–April	1,304
Mississippi	🌷 Garden	March–April	1,037
Arkansas	🌷 Garden	few records	300
Virginia	🌷 Garden	few records	260
Oklahoma	🌷 Garden	few records	179
Tennessee	🌷 Garden	few records	63
Maryland	🌷 Garden	few records	1
California	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Kentucky	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Missouri	🌷 Garden	few records	0
New Jersey	🌷 Garden	few records	0
New Mexico	🌷 Garden	few records	0
New York	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Ohio	🌷 Garden	few records	0
Pennsylvania	🌷 Garden	few records	0

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
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}
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.
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}
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.
Virginia: Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Virginia. ^2VAC5-320-10
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.
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}
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.

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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.

More Texas flowers

American holly

Ilex opaca

🌷 Flowering tree

🌼 Blooms in TX: April–May

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Texas gardens

Inkberry

Ilex glabra

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌼 Blooms: April–June

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ILVO.
iNaturalist, Ilex vomitoria: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Wikipedia, Ilex vomitoria (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Texas: Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Texas: Texas noxious and invasive plant list (4 Tex. Admin. Code § 19.300(a)).
Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Noxious Weed Law (2 O.S. § 3-220).
Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
Missouri: Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants.
Missouri: Missouri noxious weed list (2 CSR 70-45.005).
New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
New York: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3).
New York: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575).
Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 23, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Ilex vomitoria (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: mfeaver via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.