Te (Ilex cookii): A Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Treasure
Meet te, one of Puerto Rico’s most endangered native shrubs that’s fighting for survival in the wild. While this little-known member of the holly family might not be familiar to most gardeners, its story is both fascinating and sobering—a reminder of how precious our native plant heritage truly is.
What Makes Te Special?
Te (Ilex cookii) is a perennial shrub that’s as rare as it is remarkable. This multi-stemmed woody plant typically grows less than 13-16 feet tall, with several stems arising from near the ground—though like many shrubs, it can vary in size depending on its environment.
What sets te apart isn’t just its rarity, but its incredible specialization. This shrub has evolved specifically for Puerto Rico’s unique ecosystems, making it a true island endemic that exists nowhere else on Earth.
Where Does Te Call Home?
Te is exclusively native to Puerto Rico, where it clings to existence in very limited locations. Unfortunately, this beautiful shrub has become critically imperiled, with a Global Conservation Status of S1—meaning there are typically only five or fewer occurrences remaining, with very few individual plants (fewer than 1,000) left in the wild.
The Reality Check: Why You Shouldn’t Plant Te
Here’s where we need to have an honest conversation. While te might sound intriguing, this plant carries an Endangered status in the United States for very serious reasons. With so few individuals left in the wild, every remaining plant is precious for the species’ survival.
Important considerations:
- Te is critically imperiled with extremely limited wild populations
- It’s listed as Endangered, meaning it faces imminent extinction risk
- Any cultivation should only be done through legitimate conservation programs
- Seeds or plants should never be collected from wild populations
Te’s Natural Habitat
In its Caribbean home, te has a Facultative Wetland status, which means it usually grows in wetland environments but can occasionally survive in drier areas. This suggests the plant has adapted to Puerto Rico’s moist, tropical conditions and likely prefers consistently humid environments.
A Conservation Perspective
If you’re passionate about supporting te’s survival, the best approach is to support conservation organizations working to protect Puerto Rico’s endemic plants. Professional botanists and conservationists are working hard to study and protect the remaining populations.
For home gardeners inspired by te’s story, consider planting other Puerto Rican natives that aren’t endangered, or support native plant societies that fund conservation research for critically imperiled species like te.
The Bigger Picture
Te’s precarious situation reminds us why protecting natural habitats is so crucial. Every time we choose native plants for our gardens—whether they’re common or rare—we’re supporting the complex web of relationships that sustain our local ecosystems.
While we can’t all grow te in our backyards, we can honor its existence by becoming better stewards of the native plants we can grow, and by supporting the scientists working to ensure that future generations might still encounter this remarkable shrub in Puerto Rico’s wild places.
Sometimes the most important plants are the ones we admire from afar, knowing that our respect for their rarity is the greatest gift we can offer.
