The dahoon (Ilex cassine Linnaeus) is a southeastern U.S. holly found in pine flatwoods, moist forests, and swamps. Dahoons are small trees, but eventually will grow to 40 feet (12 meters). The plants are dioecious; staminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers are borne on separate plants. Only female dahoons bear the red, orange, or yellow berries.

The berries are vitally important to migratory birds wintering in the southern states. Several people have reported the fondness cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) have for the fruit. A flock can strip a tree of the berries in a matter of minutes. The tree is a definite must-have for attracting birds to the garden.

The dahoon was one of numerous American hollies used to make the 'black drink', related to the yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) of South America. Ilex contain caffeine; these ceremonial drinks were intended to cleanse the body and spirit of warriors; many are emetic (cause vomiting). Dahoon was popular as a tea during the Civil War due to blockades which prevented the importation of China tea (Camellia sinensis). Dahoon tea was known as cassina or cassena.

Ilex was the Roman name for the European holm-oak and applied to the hollies by Linnaeus. According to the 1889 Century Unabridged Dictionary, the species epithet, cassine, derived from the Italian casino meaning a country house. Interestingly, cassine was used as a military term in the 1800s for a house standing in open country where soldiers may lie hidden as a trap or use as a defensive position.

Dahoon appears a lost word; neither its parent language nor definition has turned up in any linguistic searches.

The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology has a wonderful informative page about cedar waxwings including a recording of the bird's call. To view this page, click on the link:

http://birds.cornell.edu/BOW/CEDWAX/