Louisiana Plant ID | Ilex cassine (dahoon holly)

FAMILY: AQUIFOLIACEAE

ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:

LEAVES: simple, alternate, persistent; stiff, oval; toothed margins with small spiny tips from the middle of the leaf to the apex; glossy, medium to dark green

FLOWER: inconspicuous greenish-white; axillary; April to May

FRUIT: berry-like drupe, small (1/4 inch. diameter); can be produced in great quantities; some persisting until spring; bright-red to bright-yellow

TWIGS:

BARK:

FORM: small, evergreen tree; 12 to 36 feet tall; crown spread can be 8 to 15 feet in diameter

HABITAT: moist woods; cypress ponds; marsh margins; bays

WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative Wetland (FACW): Usually occurs in wetlands, but may occur in non-wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region

RANGE: southeast US

USES: extremely valuable source of food for many overwintering songbirds; also for other wildlife like quail and wild turkey

Best Recognition Features:

NOTE: dahoon holly is similar to American holly (especially its fruit and flowers); however, leaves are not as leathery and the leaf margins are not as thorny as the American holly

School of Renewable Natural Reources	Louisiana Plant Identification and Interactive Virtual Tours Dr. Chris S. Reid, Project Director \| creid4@lsu.edu LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA © 2003-2018 website problems or broken links: mbowen@agcenter.lsu.edu page revised: 26-Jun-2019 1:16 PM msb	LSU AgCenter
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