Q&A – How to tame my yaupon holly?
Question:
I have two really huge shrubs and need advice on how to make them not so huge. Ideally, I would like to cut them back instead of digging them up and starting all over again with new plants. The plan that came with the house says they are dwarf yappon Hollies, but as you can see they are not dwarf anymore. I pulled one apart and the inside branches are very supple, so I think they are healthy. Any advice on the proper way and time to tame these beasts, would really be appreciated. Thanks in advance for your time and assistance. - Tyra
Answer:
Yaupon hollies are very strong plants and grow large. They can be pruned severely, even cut to the ground with a chainsaw, and still grow back just fine. If they are not planted in a place where they can be allowed to grow they will frequently be a problem even if cut to the ground every few years. A possibility in this situation may be to move the plant or prune them into a tree form to get the leaf mass up off the ground.
Related Resources
Ilex vomitoria: Yaupon Holly
Ilex vomitoria Yaupon Holly
I have two really huge shrubs and need advice on how to make them not so huge. Ideally, I would like to cut them back instead of digging them up and starting all over again with new plants. The plan that came with the house says they are dwarf yappon Hollies, but as you can see they are not dwarf anymore. I pulled one apart and the inside branches are very supple, so I think they are healthy. Any advice on the proper way and time to tame these beasts, would really be appreciated. Thanks in advance for your time and assistance. - Tyra
Answer:
Yaupon hollies are very strong plants and grow large. They can be pruned severely, even cut to the ground with a chainsaw, and still grow back just fine. If they are not planted in a place where they can be allowed to grow they will frequently be a problem even if cut to the ground every few years. A possibility in this situation may be to move the plant or prune them into a tree form to get the leaf mass up off the ground.
Related Resources
Ilex vomitoria: Yaupon Holly
Ilex vomitoria Yaupon Holly