Mississippi Native: Weeping Yaupon Holly
(Ilex vomitoria – ‘Pendula’)
Downloadable Brochure: WEEPING YAUPON HOLLY
Description/Season:
The weeping yaupon has a “weeping form” with multiple crooked trunks. The bark is white to dark gray. This tree displays white flowers and grayish-green, oval leaves. The berries are round and bright red.
Flowers appear in the spring. Berries appear in the fall lasting into the winter.
Size:
This tree reaches heights of 15 to 20 feet. Older plants can grow up to 30 feet high. The yaupon has a spread of 6 to 12 feet. Leaves are less than 2 inches long.
Planting Tips/Habitat:
This is found in a variety of soils from very wet to very dry.
The weeping yaupon needs full sun to part shade and can be easily transplanted. Plant yaupon holly trees several feet apart to allow a more “weeping form” of the trees to show.
This evergreen holly is tolerant of drought but also thrives in wet or well-drained soil. The shape of the plant is altered with pruning. Although both male and female plants produce flowers, only the females produce berries.
Interesting Facts:
The weeping yaupon’s berries are an attraction for different types of wildlife, especially birds.
