Is the yaupon holly tree the same as the East Palatka holly?
The plants are both native to Florida, but that is where the similarity ends. The East Palatka holly is believed to be a naturally occurring hybrid of the American holly and dahoon holly that grows to more than 25 feet tall. It is an upright growing tree with oval leaves that mostly have a smooth edge with a spine at the tip. The yaupon holly tree has a rounded to irregular shape and grows to about 20 feet tall. The leaves are narrow and have a lightly scalloped edge. Besides the tree forms, there are also weeping and shrub types. A common selection is Schelling’s Dwarf, most likely the plant in your yard, marketed for foundation and hedge plantings.
