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Common Name: Yaupon Holly

General Information

Ilex vomitoria is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 6.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

South-eastern N. America - Virginia to Florida, west to Texas and Arkansas.

Habitat

Sandy woods and clearings[]. Low moist woods, especially near the coast[]. Often forming dense thickets along streams and pond margins and shallow swamp lands[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most soils so long as they are not water-logged[].
This species is not fully hardy in Britain, the plants are incapable of withstanding our hardest winters[].
A slow-growing species in the wild, often forming dense thickets from root suckers[].
The leaves remain on the plant for 2 - 3 years, falling just before the appearance of new leaves in the spring[].
Flowers are produced on the current year's growth[].
Resents root disturbance, especially as the plants get older[]. It is best to place the plants into their permanent positions as soon as possible, perhaps giving some winter protection for their first year or two[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

A mildly stimulating beverage containing caffeine is made from the dried and roasted leaves[, , ]. The tea is stimulating and intoxicating[]. The leaves are first steeped in cold and then in boiling water[]. They are also used to flavour ice cream and soft drinks[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the leaves is emetic[, , ].
The plant was used ritually by several N. American Indian tribes. The leaves were toasted over a fire and then boiled for several hours. The resulting thick black liquid was then drunk and this was followed by immediate vomiting[]. This was often used a a purification rite prior to hunting[].

Other Uses

This species is occasionally used for hedging in the southern states of America[].
Wood - hard, heavy, strong, close grained. It weighs 46lb per cubic foot. Too small for commercial exploitation, the wood is used locally for turnery, inlay work, woodenware etc[, , , ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. It can take 18 months to germinate. Stored seed generally requires two winters and a summer before it will germinate and should be sown as soon as possible in a cold frame. Scarification, followed by a warm stratification and then a cold stratification may speed up the germination time[, ]. The seedlings are rather slow-growing. Pot them up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame for their first year. It is possible to plant them out into a nursery bed in late spring of the following year, but they should not be left here for more than two years since they do not like being transplanted. Alternatively, grow them on in their pots for a second season and then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Give them a good mulch and some protection for their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of almost ripe wood with a heel, August in a shaded position in a cold frame. Leave for 12 months before potting up.
Layering in early autumn. Takes 2 years[].