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Aquifoliaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Ilex guayusa

Ilex guayusa

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

Although no specific reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, Ilex species in general contain several potentially toxic compounds, particularly saponins, glycosides and triterpenoids. These compounds also often have a range of potential health benefits[1, 2, 3]. The berries are usually the part of the plant most likely to be toxic, though the degree of toxicity is usually low. Their bitter flavour usually prevents a person eating more than one or two, but even a small handful of the fruit eaten by a healthy adult is unlikely to cause more than feelings of nausea that can lead on to vomiting and diarrhoea[2]. The compounds in the leaves are particularly interesting. The leaves of many Ilex species around the world are commonly used to make health-promoting teas that, when drunk on a regular basis, help to regulate bodily functions and can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood-cholesterol levels etc (See Ilex paraguariensis or Ilex kaushue for examples)[3]. Even these teas, however, if taken in very concentrated doses, can act as a laxative or cause vomiting. Indeed, several species are used by traditional peoples to induce vomiting as a means of purifying the body (see Ilex guayusa or Ilex vomitoria for examples)

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
Growth—

Ilex species generally tolerate most soils that are not water-logged[4]. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[5].

Propagation

Seed - Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Ilex+guayusa>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas — Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J · Botanical Research Institute, Texas. · 1999 · http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm · ISBN 1-889878-01-4 ↩︎An excellent flora, which is also available on-line.
  2. [2]Poisonous Plants of North Carolina — http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm ↩︎An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes.
  3. [3]Genus Ilex L.: Phytochemistry, Ethnopharmacology, and Pharmacology — Fan Yi, Xiao-ling Zhao, Yong Peng, Pei-gen Xiao · 2016 · http://10.1016/S1674-6384(16)60044-8 ↩︎
  4. [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  5. [5]Les Aquifoliaceae péruviennes: éléments pour une révision des Aquifoliaceae néotropicales — Loizeau A. · Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de Genève · 1994 · http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-895414 · ISBN 2-8277-0064-6 ↩︎
  6. [6]Ethnobotany of the Andes — Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors) · Springer Nature; Switzerland · 2020 · https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1 · ISBN 978-3-030-28932-4 ↩︎
  7. [7]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
  8. [8]Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 27 — Botanical Museum; Massachusetts. · 1979 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Contains various articles including one on the uses of Erisma japura and Monopteryx angustifolia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  9. [9]Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North, — Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M. · 2014 ↩︎A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
  10. [10]An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador — Tene V. et al · 2007 · https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2006.10.032 · ISBN 0378-8741 ↩︎
  11. [11]CosIng — http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/ ↩︎CosIng is the European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients.