Dahoon Holly, Delivered and Planted in Southwest Florida
Dahoon holly is a native evergreen tree that does well in Southwest Florida, handling wet low spots, seasonal flooding and average sandy sites. It grows 20 to 30 ft in a neat pyramid shape, and female trees carry red berries that birds eat. Our 45 gallon trees are delivered and planted, so you start with a real tree.
- Light:
- Full sun to part shade
- Water:
- Regular to moist; tolerates seasonal flooding and moderate drought once established
- Salt:
- Moderate; handles some salt spray, not salt flooding
Dahoon Holly
Ask for a photo of the actual plant we would deliver.
Dahoon Holly sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Dahoon Holly | 45 Gallon |
Dahoon Holly in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 20 to 30 ft tall and 8 to 12 ft wide; can reach 40 ft
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular to moist; tolerates seasonal flooding and moderate drought once established
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate; handles some salt spray, not salt flooding
- Cold tolerance
- Very cold hardy; frost is not an issue in SW Florida
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 8 to 10 ft apart for a screen
- Florida native
- Yes
- Botanical name
- Ilex cassine
Where Dahoon Holly works in a SW Florida yard
Dahoon is the answer for a spot that stays wet in the rainy season, such as a low corner, a rain garden or the bank of a pond just above the waterline. Use one as a specimen, or three to five at 8 to 10 ft for an evergreen screen.
Add Wax Myrtle, Sabal Palm and Simpson Stopper for a native planting, and Bald Cypress where it floods.
- Wet-site and swale tree
- Evergreen screen
- Bird and wildlife planting
- Native landscape specimen
How our crew plants it
Set the 45 gallon tree with the top of the root ball level with the soil, in a hole twice as wide and no deeper. In a wet spot, plant slightly high so the root flare stays above standing water.
Backfill with native soil and mulch away from the trunk. Lee and Collier allow extra watering on new plantings; keep the root ball moist.
Care after planting
- Water a new tree through its first dry season; after that it needs less than most shade trees, and in a wet spot it may need none.
- Little pruning is needed beyond removing dead wood and lifting low branches.
- Fertilize lightly in spring and fall, skip nitrogen and phosphorus from June 1 to September 30 in Lee County, Naples and Marco Island, and keep a layer of mulch to hold moisture.
- Plant two or three if you want berries, since only females fruit and a male must be nearby to pollinate.
What to watch for
- Wet soil is fine, but flooding with salt water burns it, so keep it off tidal or brackish edges.
- Mites and twig gall can show up on drought-stressed trees, so water new ones through their first dry season.
Dahoon Holly questions we hear
Do I need a male and a female dahoon holly to get berries?+
Yes. Dahoon holly has male and female flowers on separate trees, and only females carry the red berries. A male must be nearby to pollinate them. Plant two or three trees to improve the odds, since you usually cannot tell the sexes until they flower.
Can dahoon holly grow in wet or flooded soil?+
Yes. It is a native of swamps and wet flatwoods and tolerates everything from well-drained sites to long periods of flooding. It also adapts to average yards with irrigation. It is a good pick for low spots, pond edges and swales. Standing salt water is the exception.
How big does a dahoon holly get?+
Usually 20 to 30 ft tall and 8 to 12 ft wide, though old trees can reach 40 ft. Growth is moderate, with a neat pyramid shape when young. It is narrower than most shade trees, so it fits tighter yards. Check overhead lines before choosing the spot.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Dahoon Holly
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.