A Fast-Growing Red Tree That Attracts Birds And Loves Shade Has Downsides

When you have a heavily shaded yard that also sees full sun for a couple of hours, it can be a challenge to find great-looking small trees that fit the bill for your landscape. One plant that can handle both full sun and dense shade is yaupon holly, or Ilex vomitoria. It is a small evergreen tree that brings color to your garden and property throughout the year.

The yaupon holly is also a popular choice if you are looking for a tree to plant in the backyard for a bird-friendly winter habitat. The female plants produce berries of red, orange, and yellow colors throughout the winter months and draw birds and other wildlife to your yard, making your landscaping more vibrant. However, these berries do have a downside. They are dangerous to small children and can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and depression of the central nervous system. The berries are also mildly toxic to humans, cats, dogs, and horses. Even though the toxicity level is low, they can still induce vomiting and diarrhea in pets. Additionally, yaupon holly is not fire tolerant, another reason to avoid placing it near your home if you live in a dry climate. 

Beyond attracting birds and growing in heavily shaded areas, yaupon holly trees have several other benefits for homeowners, which include providing a pop of color throughout the year. In spring, the plant grows small white flowers with a hint of green. During spring and summer, the deep green leaves serve as a desirable background for colorful flowers as they're blooming on other plants. In winter, the bright red fruit offers hues when very few other plants and trees do. Because the leaves stay green all year and remain on the yaupon holly during the cold weather months, they work well as a privacy screen. They can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet at maturity, although the dwarf variety may only reach 3 feet in height.

Another benefit of yaupon holly trees is that they're low-maintenance trees that you may want in your garden landscaping. They are native to Texas, which means they tolerate both heat and drought, and generally resist insects and disease. It can grow in a variety of soil conditions. This includes sandy soil, open spaces with a lot of sun, at the edges of forests, or near wet swamps. You can even grow them in containers if it drains well. Yaupon holly trees occasionally need light pruning, but other maintenance requirements are minimal.

One of the plant's biggest drawbacks is the potential toxicity of its red berries, but there are a few other disadvantages to consider. Although yaupon holly plants generally are healthy and insect-resistant, they are not immune to illness. Black root rot, which is a fungal disease that affects several types of holly, is a common problem. While you cannot see black lesions on the underground roots when this disease is present, you may notice premature leaf drop, off-color leaves, and dieback of sections of the plant. Yaupon holly will also suffer stress when in a prolonged drought, which could lead to damage from pests like holly leaf miner, spider mites, and scale. You may also notice leaf spots, tar spots, and powdery mildew.

The yaupon holly plant is not ideal for every state. It grows best between USDA Hardiness zones 7a and 9band thrives in the southern half of the United States. It will likely struggle if planted in the northern half of the country, including the Great Plains and the east coast. Many of the areas where it grows, such as Texas, have a generally high wildfire risk. Unfortunately, yaupon holly ignites easily giving it a high flammability rating. You should not grow it near your home if you live in an area prone to wildfire. Instead, stick with plants that are better suited for fire prone regions.