YAUPON HOLLY

Ilex vomitoria is a broad-leaved evergreen shrub or small tree native to the southeastern United States, where it grows naturally along forest edges, coastal thickets, and stream margins. Its small, glossy leaves and dense branching habit make it a reliable presence in the garden year-round, and the bright red berries that persist through winter draw cedar waxwings, mockingbirds, and other wildlife. Yaupon is the only caffeine-containing plant native to North America, lending it a quiet distinction among ornamentals. It tolerates poor soils, salt spray, and partial shade with equal ease.