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Native Plant Database

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Ilex cassine L.

Dahoon

Aquifoliaceae (Holly Family)

USDA Symbol: ilca

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Dahoon is typically a small, evergreen tree, 20-30 ft. high and 8-15 ft. wide. Stiff, oval, evergreen leaves are a glossy, medium-green. The greenish-white, axillary flowers are inconspicuous, while the 1/4 in. diameter fruits, some persisting until spring, range from bright-red to bright-yellow and can be produced in great quantities.

Planted as an ornamental for the evergreen foliage and profuse red fruit used in Christmas decorations. The common name apparently is of American Indian origin.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf: Dark Green
Fruit:
Size Class: 12-36 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX
Native Distribution: Coastal Plain from NC to e. TX
Native Habitat: Moist woods; cypress ponds; marsh margins; bays
USDA Native Status: L48(N), PR(I)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Hybrids between this species and I. opaca occur naturally in the wild. Popular garden selections have been made from these hybrids.

Propagation

Description: Seeds germinate best if planted immediately after collection. They may be pretreated with double-stratification but the essential element seems to be time. Once internal conditions in the seed are right (it may take years), it will germinate in warm moi
Seed Treatment: Some benefit may be obtained from 30-60 days treatment at 68-86 degrees followed by 60-90 days of 41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Native Plant Nursery - Sanibel, FL

Bibliography

Bibref 996 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski, Sally and Andy Wasowski
Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Ilex cassine in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Ilex cassine in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Ilex cassine

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-02-18
Research By: TWC Staff

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