About Ilex coriacea (Pursh) Chapm.
Ilex coriacea, sometimes called large gallberry or sweet gallberry, is a shrub in the holly family. It is native to coastal areas of the United States, ranging from Virginia to Texas. It primarily grows as an understory plant in pine forests, and is sometimes managed through controlled burnings; it resprouts from rhizomes after these burns. Ilex coriacea is a facultative wetland plant, and grows in sandy, moist to wet soils in bogs, along pond edges, and in seepage swaps known as baygalls. It is planted as an ornamental shrub, and prefers to grow in acidic soils. This species is an important nectar source for beekeepers.
