Ilex vomitoria W. Aiton. Section: Repandae. Common name: Yaupon. Phenology: Mar-May; Oct-Nov. Habitat: Maritime forests, other dry sandy forests, shrublands, and disturbed areas. Distribution: Widespread in the Southeastern United States, primarily on the Coastal Plain, from e. VA (from Northampton County south) south to c. peninsular FL and west to se. TX; Cuba; Mexico (CHP). In NC and VA, yaupon is nearly restricted to maritime habitats, on the barrier islands and in a narrow band on the mainland, in forests with substantial maritime influence, but is somewhat more general southwards in GA, FL, AL (Mohr [1901] restricts it to the southernmost counties of AL), and the Gulf coast. I. vomitoria is increasingly popular as an ornamental shrub, and is persistent or establishing inland in areas outside its native distribution, especially in suburban woodlands. It also invades inland in the Coastal Plain because of general fire suppression. The species may have been substantially moved around by American Indians prior to European contact.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: I. vomitoria from the Deep South often has much smaller leaves than plants in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Chiapas populations have been accorded variety status as var. chiapensis Sharp; they may warrant specific rank or alternatively be nothing more than a pubescent form.

Other Comments: The tea produced from its leaves is increasingly appreciated.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, Fl7, G, GW2, K4, NcTx, Ok, RAB, S, S13, Tx, Va, WH3, Clark (2023), Godfrey (1988); > Ilex vomitoria Aiton var. vomitoria — Mo2. Basionym: Ilex vomitoria Aiton 1789

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
• Great Plains: FAC

Heliophily ⓘ: 6