# dahoon holly (*Ilex cassine*)

Dahoon holly is a lovely evergreen shrub with shiny green leaves and bright red berries. It grows in warm places and provides food for birds and other animals.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas

![dahoon holly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ilex-cassine-new-hanover-co-nc-29aug2009-P1210171-cwcook.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Will Cook, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ilex-cassine-new-hanover-co-nc-29aug2009-P1210171-cwcook.jpg)

## Appearance

The dahoon holly is a medium-sized evergreen tree or large shrub with smooth, pale gray bark. It has narrow, shiny green leaves with smooth or slightly toothed edges. Bright red, round berries cling to the branches through fall and winter, contrasting with the dark foliage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Aquifoliales
- **Family:** Aquifoliaceae
- **Genus:** Ilex

## Interesting facts

- Dahoon holly has separate male and female plants, so only female plants grow berries!
- Even though its berries are red, they're mildly toxic to humans, so don't eat them!
- It's often called "water holly" because it loves to grow in very wet, swampy places!
- Its scientific name, 'cassine', comes from a Native American word for the plant!

## Special abilities

- **Swamp Survivor:** Dahoon holly has roots adapted to wet soil, helping it survive in soggy swamps and floodplains.
- **Winter Kitchen:** Dahoon holly holds onto its bright red berries through winter, providing vital food for many bird species.
- **Year-Round Green:** Dahoon holly keeps its leaves all year, allowing it to photosynthesize even when other plants are bare.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 600-1200 cm
- **Spread:** 300-600 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — feasts on its bright red berries
- **Eats:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — relies on winter berries for food
- **Eats:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen from flowers

## Traits

- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Cold Hardy](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cold-hardy): Cold hardy plants are able to withstand low temperatures and freezing conditions without significant damage.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Don't eat the berries without asking an adult, as some berries can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify dahoon holly?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is dahoon holly?

600-1200 cm

### How wide does dahoon holly spread?

300-600 cm

### How big are the flowers on dahoon holly?

0.3-0.5 cm

### When does dahoon holly bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is dahoon holly edible?

No

### Is dahoon holly toxic?

Mild

### What is dahoon holly's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Dahoon Holly: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dahoon-holly)