Ilex vomitoria 'Schillings' (Dwarf Yaupon Holly)

Ilex vomitoria 'Schillings,' commonly known as dwarf yaupon holly, is a cultivar of yaupon holly, a woody, perennial broadleaf evergreen shrub to small tree that is native the southeastern US and Mexico. Although its species name, vomitoria, may raise some eyebrows, this notation is drawn from the plant's traditional use in pre-Colonial ritual teas, which were drank by some Native American populations for ritual use; occasionally, ingestion of large quantities of this tea would induce vomiting due to the naturally occuring caffeine and theobromine, which are both found in chocolate and yerba mate as well.

Beyond its slightly off-putting name, yaupon holly is an excellent addition to the landscape with a lot of ecological appeal, and its dwarf cultivar, 'Schillings' makes it accessible to smaller garden spaces as well. Flowering in April to May, yaupon holly produces inconspicuous white flowers, which are attractive to a number of pollinators; 'Schillings' is an all-male cultivar, so it will not produce the attractive red berries that the species is also known for, but it will act as a pollinator for other Ilex vomitoria cultivars.

The 'Schillings' dwarf cultivar grows to only about three to four feet tall and wide and has attractive, glossy gray-green leaves, making it an excellent choice for low hedges, where it is easy to maintain, or coastal areas, where it shows of its high salt tolerance. 'Schillings' performs best in full to part sun, medium-wet soils, and tolerates deer, drought, over-watering, and has good cold-hardiness.