Yaupon Holly Culture and Pest Management for Tea Production and Ornamental Use

Three images of yaupon holly branches. From left to right, a photo of leaves and ripe berries in bright sunshine, an illustratuino of a branch with leaves and red, ripe berries, and a photo of leaves and pale green buds, some blooming and producing white, four-petaled flowers.

Yaupon holly, Ilex vomitoria Aiton, is an evergreen woody plant native to the southeastern United States. The species is widely used as a landscape ornamental plant because it tolerates a wide range of soil and environmental conditions, is available in various forms, and attracts wildlife, especially native birds. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in cultivating the plant for the caffeinated beverages that can be made from its leaves. This 8-page fact sheet written by Matthew A. Borden, Mark A. Wilhelm, and Adam G. Dale and published by the UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department provides a guide to managing yaupon holly and protecting it from pests. It will be useful to both commercial growers and homeowners interested in growing this beautiful and useful plant.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1299