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Dwarf Yaupon Holly Care Sheet Brought to you by S & S Bonsai of Colorado Springs, Colorado (Most of the included information is obtained from several online sources.) “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” —Mahatma Gandhi— The Dwarf Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’) General Information: Yaupon holly is a native of North America. They are excellent to work with and will make quality medium and shohin size bonsai. The yaupon has simple, leathery, dark green leaves that are held alternately on the branches. Leaves are oval shaped, usually about 0.25-1 inch (0.6-2.5 cm) and crenate (like saw teeth) along the edges. It is one of eleven hollies native to Florida. It usually grows as a shrub but occasionally may be found as a tree. Growth rate is slow to moderate. Yaupon is dioecious which means that male and female flowers are born on separate plants. The tiny white flower appears in spring in great numbers and are borne in the leaf axils, close against the stem. Female flowers are following by small 1/4” bright red berries that persist on the trees through fall and winter. The Weeping Yaupon Holly does not sprout from the roots, like other varieties of the species. A tough native of the southern United States, Yaupon Holly grows in a variety of locations, from full sun or shade to seaside or swamps, in sand or clay. It will grow in soil with a pH in the 7's. The bark is smooth and gray and is often mottled with yellow-green patches of lichen. The portion of the name of the plant, "Vomitoria", is a rather unsavory name given to a very nice and useful plant. The early settlers in the SE USA learned from the Indians that the leaves of this plant could be used to make tea. The Indians used the leaves to prepare their ceremonial black drink by drying the leaves until they are black and crumbly, then steeping in hot water. However, if the leaves are used without going through the drying process they produced a memorable reaction on the human digestive system. Hence the addition of "vomitoria" to its name. CARE Temperature: Yaupon are only hardy in zones 7-9 so a lot of winter protection is required. Protect the tree when temperatures approach 40° F. Lighting: Full sun; although in its natural habitat, it will tolerate heavy shade, possibly causing the leaves to be larger. So the more light it has the more dense its foliage will be. Watering: Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings. Highly salt-tolerant. Watering daily in the hottest part of the year is very important since missing a day may cause leaf drop and twigs to die back. In nature, yaupons grow along stream and river margins as well as in more arid regions such as sand dunes. However they require consistent watering to promote good growth. Fertilizing: It is critical to fertilize carefully in the spring when new growth is at it’s peak. You can encourage smaller leaves in March, April and May by using 1/4 strength soluble liquid fertilizer or one tablespoon of organic fertilizer to a gallon of water every two weeks. In the summer it should be given half strength liquid fertilizer every two or three weeks. It prefers an evenly balanced (20-20-20) fertilizer but is not too choosy. Pruning / Training: Prune new shoots back to 2-3 leaves during growth when six to eight pairs have developed. Prune above a leaf facing in the direction you want new growth to extend. The flexible branches make wiring easy, although the bark will need to be protected. Wire from spring-autumn. Its new growth shows a strong tendency to upwards growth and must either be wired horizontal or pruned to retain shape. When pruned it will burst forth profusely with new thick growth throughout the growing season. They bud back readily on old wood. Insects / Pests: Leaf-miners, leaf spot, aphids, scale, mites and spittlebugs have been known to attack Ilex. Twig gall may occur in response to a fungal infection. The over production of fruit may weaken the tree. Propagation: Ilex vomitoria nana may be found growing in the wild and may be collected in early Spring. They may be grown from seed or from soft wood cuttings. Growing from seed, while possible, will take a fairly long time to develop. Nurseries are a good source of this material, should you be unable to collect a specimen. Repotting: Ilex can be repotted every 1-2 years using a well draining bonsai soil. Care should be taken when handling large root balls, removing no more than 25% per repotting. Design and Styling: Yaupons seem to lean toward the ‘old oak tree’ style when shaping for bonsai. Also they do well with windswept, informal upright and cascade.