Lineage: Wild-Harvested Texas Native | Soil: Organic Heritage Mineral Blend
Our Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) is an Artisan Grown masterpiece of resilience and the ultimate "problem-solver" for the Texas landscape. Our Yaupon has the wild genetic programming and field-grown rigor to thrive in our challenging soil and weather. Whether you’re looking for a formal privacy screen, a rugged windbreak, or a sculptural specimen tree, our Yaupon Holly provides a dense, glossy-green presence that remains vibrant all year lon.
We begin with our surroundings. Every plant we grow starts as a hand-selected cutting taken from vigorous, wild-growing mature Yaupons found on our ranch or within a strict 10-mile radius. This ensures our plants carry the specific site-adapted genetics required to handle the unique mineral profile and erratic weather of the Dripping Springs and Austin corridor. By propagating from local, wild-tempered mothers, we ensure your Yaupon possesses the true structural integrity needed to thrive in our native Hill Country soil.
These wild-harvested cuttings are planted directly into our outdoor silica sand propagation beds, allowing them to initiate life in the elements. This is a "roots-first" approach that forces the cutting to immediately prioritize a deep-diving, vertical root system to find stability and moisture in the sand. We don't use high-humidity misting tents; we let nature decide which cuttings have the raw strength to earn their place. Only after they have established a robust, earth-seeking anchor are they carefully transitioned into our proprietary, mineral-dense organic soil.
As the strongest survivors transition into their final phase, they are potted into deep, air-pruning pots. This critical step uses the dry Texas air to naturally prune root tips, forcing the plant to develop a massive, hyper-fibrous root system without circling. Once potted, they “rest” under the dappled shade of our Texas Live Oak trees, acclimating to our hilltop winds and heavy spring rains. For the final two weeks, they field-harden in unapologetic full sun. This multi-phase approach ensures every Yaupon Holly leaving our ranch has been "performance-tested" and is biologically prepared for a resilient, irrigation-free Hill Country life once established.
A multi-functional evergreen that provides unmatched structure and critical winter interest.
The Continental Tea: Yaupon is North America’s only native caffeinated plant. Its leaves can be lightly roasted or dried to create a smooth, antioxidant-rich tea that lacks the bitter tannins of traditional black tea. By harvesting from your own landscape, you are participating in a thousand-year-old regenerative tradition of the "Black Drink" once shared across the Hill Country.
Wildlife Sanctuary: As a premier nesting site for songbirds and a vital pollen and nectar source for native bees and other pollinators, the Yaupon is an ecological cornerstone. Female plants provide brilliant red berries that serve as a crucial winter food source for birds.
Exceptional Adaptability: One of the few natives that is equally at home in deep shade as it is in full, blistering sun, making it the perfect choice for under-planting beneath large oaks.
Evergreen Structure: Its small, dark-green leaves provide a dense, refined texture that holds its color through the harshest winters.
Field-grown, sun-hardened, and air-pruned. Delivered in a 4.5” Deep Square Pot with a vertical 5”, robust root system designed to anchor deep into our rocky Hill Country soil, ensuring this evergreen anchor returns with more vigor year after year.
Yaupon Holly is incredibly forgiving. While it prefers well-drained soil, it is one of the few native shrubs that can tolerate "wet feet" during our heavy spring rains. It takes exceptionally well to pruning; you can shear it into a tight hedge, limbing it up into a multi-trunked small tree, or let it maintain its natural, picturesque mounding form.
For a sophisticated "Modern Hill Country" entryway, plant Yaupon Holly alongside our Spineless Prickly Pear. The refined texture of the Holly provides a perfect backdrop for the bold, architectural green pads of the cactus, creating a low-maintenance landscape that looks curated and intentional throughout every season. Plant 3-5 for a mix of male and female Yaupon Hollys so they can cross pollinate to produce the iconic berries on the females.
Lineage: Wild-Harvested Texas Native | Soil: Organic Heritage Mineral Blend
Our Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) is an Artisan Grown masterpiece of resilience and the ultimate "problem-solver" for the Texas landscape. Our Yaupon has the wild genetic programming and field-grown rigor to thrive in our challenging soil and weather. Whether you’re looking for a formal privacy screen, a rugged windbreak, or a sculptural specimen tree, our Yaupon Holly provides a dense, glossy-green presence that remains vibrant all year lon.
We begin with our surroundings. Every plant we grow starts as a hand-selected cutting taken from vigorous, wild-growing mature Yaupons found on our ranch or within a strict 10-mile radius. This ensures our plants carry the specific site-adapted genetics required to handle the unique mineral profile and erratic weather of the Dripping Springs and Austin corridor. By propagating from local, wild-tempered mothers, we ensure your Yaupon possesses the true structural integrity needed to thrive in our native Hill Country soil.
These wild-harvested cuttings are planted directly into our outdoor silica sand propagation beds, allowing them to initiate life in the elements. This is a "roots-first" approach that forces the cutting to immediately prioritize a deep-diving, vertical root system to find stability and moisture in the sand. We don't use high-humidity misting tents; we let nature decide which cuttings have the raw strength to earn their place. Only after they have established a robust, earth-seeking anchor are they carefully transitioned into our proprietary, mineral-dense organic soil.
As the strongest survivors transition into their final phase, they are potted into deep, air-pruning pots. This critical step uses the dry Texas air to naturally prune root tips, forcing the plant to develop a massive, hyper-fibrous root system without circling. Once potted, they “rest” under the dappled shade of our Texas Live Oak trees, acclimating to our hilltop winds and heavy spring rains. For the final two weeks, they field-harden in unapologetic full sun. This multi-phase approach ensures every Yaupon Holly leaving our ranch has been "performance-tested" and is biologically prepared for a resilient, irrigation-free Hill Country life once established.
A multi-functional evergreen that provides unmatched structure and critical winter interest.
The Continental Tea: Yaupon is North America’s only native caffeinated plant. Its leaves can be lightly roasted or dried to create a smooth, antioxidant-rich tea that lacks the bitter tannins of traditional black tea. By harvesting from your own landscape, you are participating in a thousand-year-old regenerative tradition of the "Black Drink" once shared across the Hill Country.
Wildlife Sanctuary: As a premier nesting site for songbirds and a vital pollen and nectar source for native bees and other pollinators, the Yaupon is an ecological cornerstone. Female plants provide brilliant red berries that serve as a crucial winter food source for birds.
Exceptional Adaptability: One of the few natives that is equally at home in deep shade as it is in full, blistering sun, making it the perfect choice for under-planting beneath large oaks.
Evergreen Structure: Its small, dark-green leaves provide a dense, refined texture that holds its color through the harshest winters.
Field-grown, sun-hardened, and air-pruned. Delivered in a 4.5” Deep Square Pot with a vertical 5”, robust root system designed to anchor deep into our rocky Hill Country soil, ensuring this evergreen anchor returns with more vigor year after year.
Yaupon Holly is incredibly forgiving. While it prefers well-drained soil, it is one of the few native shrubs that can tolerate "wet feet" during our heavy spring rains. It takes exceptionally well to pruning; you can shear it into a tight hedge, limbing it up into a multi-trunked small tree, or let it maintain its natural, picturesque mounding form.
For a sophisticated "Modern Hill Country" entryway, plant Yaupon Holly alongside our Spineless Prickly Pear. The refined texture of the Holly provides a perfect backdrop for the bold, architectural green pads of the cactus, creating a low-maintenance landscape that looks curated and intentional throughout every season. Plant 3-5 for a mix of male and female Yaupon Hollys so they can cross pollinate to produce the iconic berries on the females.
Our plants are intentionally cultivated to be site-adapted and focus their energy on growing larger, faster, and healthier below ground so they can take-off above ground once planted. All plants are grown to prioritize dense, downward-oriented root systems that allow rapid establishment in non-irrigated, deer-pressured landscapes.
Water and cage until established. Even for deer resistant plants, expect browsing, especially during drought — survival comes from the roots.
