Brush - Range & Pasture - Yaupon

BES-TEX BRUSH ID GUIDE

Yaupon

Yaupon Holly

Ilex vomitoria

Perennial Evergreen Brush

Plant Type

Evergreen shrub; holly family (Aquifoliaceae)

Life Cycle

Perennial; native

Leaf Habit

Evergreen

Typical Height

Usually under 25 ft (Texas A&M)

Photo Gallery

Yaupon holly shrub loaded with red berries — **Whole Plant** Photo: Staniulis, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Yaupon twigs with small, glossy, scalloped leaves and red berries — **Leaves and Red Berries** Photo: Luteus, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to Identify It

Quick ID

Leaves

Alternate, oval, under 1.5 inches, dark green with a lighter underside
Toothed margins (Texas A&M)

Bark

Smooth, pale gray with light gray to white patches (Texas A&M)

Berries

Bright red, shiny, round, in dense clusters on female plants (Texas A&M)

Flowers

White, April through May (Texas A&M)

Look-Alikes

Other hollies

How to tell them apart from yaupon: [PLACEHOLDER]

Counter script: "If it is an evergreen shrub with small toothed leaves, smooth pale gray bark, and clusters of shiny red berries, it is most likely yaupon."

Where It Grows

Texas

Eastern half of the state (Texas A&M)
Ecoregions (Texas A&M): Pineywoods, Gulf Prairies and Marshes, Post Oak Savannah, Blackland Prairies, Cross Timbers and Prairies, South Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau

Oklahoma

[PLACEHOLDER]

New Mexico

[PLACEHOLDER]

Sites and soils: Moist, acidic soils; tolerates drought and poor drainage. Coastal plains, sandy pinelands, and limestone uplands (Texas A&M).

Best Time to Control

Best treatment timing for yaupon: [PLACEHOLDER]. Follow the product label.

Yaupon is a woody perennial. No pre-emergent herbicide controls yaupon.

Treatment Methods

Basal Bark (Stem) Spray

Streamline basal, a 2 to 3 inch band 12 to 24 inches above ground
Example products: PastureGard HL 25% + 10% penetrant in oil (label) or Remedy Ultra 25 to 30% + 10% penetrant in oil (label)

Cut Stump

Cut every stem flat, close to (not below) the soil surface
Brush off soil and sawdust, then spray the cut surface and the sides of the stump right away
Example product: Remedy Ultra (Corteva); Brush Busters lists yaupon for this method
Mix (Brush Busters): Remedy Ultra 15% (19 oz per gallon) in diesel or vegetable oil

Individual Plant vs. Broadcast

Density guidance for this plant: [PLACEHOLDER]
Follow the label for broadcast use

Product names are examples only. Always read and follow the product label. For product selection and help, contact BES-TEX at 325.653.1300.

Sources: Brush Busters: How to Avoid Lumps When Treating Cut Stumps (Texas A&M AgriLife); PastureGard HL label, EPA Reg. No. 62719-637; Remedy Ultra label, EPA Reg. No. 62719-552; Texas A&M Plants of Texas Rangelands.