FNPS Plant Database

Ilex cassine var. myrtifolia

myrtle-leaf holly

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

myrtle-leaf holly

Synonym(s):

Ilex myrtifolia

Genus species:

Ilex cassine var. myrtifolia

Family:

Aquifoliaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

6-25 ft.

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

yellow,red

Phenology:

Evergreen shrub to small tree. Blooms in springs. Red to yellow fruits ripen in fall and persist into winter.

Noted For:

Showy Fruits

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Good winter interest in a wetland setting. Would make a good wet-site hedge

Considerations:

It's dioecious; so make sure you have at least one male plant in the vicinity to produce berries on the females.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed, Friends

Propagation:

Softwood cuttings started in spring. Seeds of most holly species require 2-3 years of dormancy before they will germinate.

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Stays wet ---to--- Usually moist, occasional inundation

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds

Bees pollinate flowers. 

Fruits are eaten by birds.

Native Habitats:

Wet-moist sites. Typically found in shallow wetland areas.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Not frequently cultivated, but worthy of consideration in appropriate sites for its long-lasting colorful fruits.  Fruits can be red or yellow.

Citations:

Huegel, Craig, N.  2010.  Native plant landscaping for Florida wildlife.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. (wildlife uses).



Nelson, Gil.  2003.  Florida's Best Landscape Plants. Association of Florida Native Nurseries.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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