Hardiness zones
Sunset 3-9, 11-24
USDA 7 - 11

Landscape Use: Dwarf cultivars make wonderful small formal hedges or low mass plantings.

Form & Character: Woody, evergreen shrub or small tree, stiff, brittle; dwarf cultivars are dense prostrate, and formal in appearance.

Growth Habit: In the wilds of the southeast US, yaupon is a vigorously and stiffly upright shrub to small tree to 20' in height. In contrast, the landscape serviceable dwarf cultivars are naturally rounded, prostrate, dense, formal, ranging in heights from 1.5' to 5' with greater to equal spreads.

Foliage/Texture: Small, serrate to crenate, sessile, gray green leaves on gray twiggy stems, turning slightly purple in coldest winter areas, fine texture

Flowers & Fruits: Small white axillary flowers in spring followed by small round bright red fruit. Dwarf cultivars do not flower as much as species.

Seasonal Color: White spring flowers, red fall to winter berries, less on dwarf cultivars

Temperature: Tolerant

Light: Full sun

Soil: Does surprisingly well in alkaline soils

Watering: Tolerates some drought

Pruning: Easily lightly sheared as a formal to informal hedge.

Propagation: Cutting

Disease and pests: None

Additional comments: Yaupon teas were used by native Americans to induce vomiting. Dwarf yaupon in the alkaline soils of Phoenix is best plant for low growing formal to informal hedges in formal or structured landscapes, even better than Japanese boxwood.

In short, dwarf cultivars of this plant deserve more attention in the Phoenix area to placate the widespread practice of shearing every landscape shrub that grows!!

Dwarf cultivars include:
'Nana' - dwarf to 3 to 5' height depending on watering
'Schillings' - intermediate dwarf to 3' height
'Stokes' - most dwarf to only 2' height