Hollies Native to Central Florida
ilex vomitoria
Yaupon Holly
Habit: Evergreen shrub or small bushy tree, may reach 25 ft. Sprouts appear at the roots commonly forming dense thickets.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, dark green, elliptic to oval, 1/4 – 1 1/8 in. long and 1/4 – 1 in. wide
Flowers: Dioecious. Small and borne in the axils.
Fruit: Bright red berry, 1/4 in. in diameter
Habitat: Coastal dunes, woodlands, pine flatwoods. It generally inhabits well drained soils, but can be found along streams and wet woodlands.
ilex ambigua
Carolina Holly
Habit: Deciduous shrub with light gray bark. Rarely 20 ft. in height.
Leaves: Alternate, simple with crenate to serrate margins, 1 – 4 in. long, and 1/2 – 2 in. wide.
Flowers: Male flowers are borne in clusters, and the female flowers are solitary. Dioecious.
Fruit: Mature fruit is red, 3/16 – 5/16 in. in diameter.
Habitat: Found in mixed woods, and sand ridges.
ilex cassine
Dahoon Holly
Habit: Evergreen tree, with gray, smooth trunk, reaching a height of 40 feet.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, 1 1/4 – 5 1/2 in. long, margins entire to toothed, tips have a small bristle.
Flowers: Small, white, with four petals. Dioecious.
Fruit: Red, yellow, or orange berries, 1/4 – 3/8 in. in diameter.
Habitat: Edges of rivers, and streams, wet hammocks, and moist sites.
ilex decidua
Posumhaw holly
Habit: Deciduous understory tree up to 32 ft.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, spatulate to obovate, from 1 – 3 in. long and 1/2 – 1 3/4 in. wide, margins are entire to crenate.
Flowers: Found singly, or a small cluster in the leaf axils. Dioecious.
Fruit: Red, yellow, or orange, 3/16 – 3/8 in. in diameter, with a 3/4 in. long stalk.
Habitat: Flood plains, wet thickets, infrequently on well drained slopes or ridges
ilex glabra
Gallberry
Habit: Evergreen shrub to 9 ft. Spreads by underground runners.
Leaves: Margins entire to somewhat toothed, elliptic to slightly obovate, 1 3/8 – 2 in. long.
Flowers: Dioecious. Mostly singly in the leaf axils.
Fruit: Black, 3/16 – 1/4 in. in diameter.
Habitat: Pine savannas, flatwoods, bogs, seepage areas, and acid prairies.
ilex opaca
American Holly
Habit: An evergreen tree reaching 50 ft. in height.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, thick & leathery, dark green, 1 1/8 – 4 3/4 in. long and 3/4 – 2 1/8 in. wide, margins spiny toothed with sharp bristles.
Flowers: Dioecious. Small and arising at the leaf axils.
Fruit: Bright red and 1/4 – 1/2 in. in diameter.
Habitat: Mesic, sub-mesic woods, river banks, and flood plains.
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