Joel, you should get good response on this one. Yaupon is excellent
material for all sizes. If mame is of special interest, there is a specific
cultivar, Schillings, which has exceptionally small leaves. This is a male
only cultivar (grown from cuttings only) so do not expect berries.
Indigenous to the southeast part of the US, it is quite hardy for much of
the country. Where are you located? That will determine if you need to
protect your plant during the winter. Here in North-central Florida, I just
leave mine on the bench where it's been all summer. Mame may want more
care.

Yaupon is hedge material so train it by the simple expedience of selecting
limbs and then "mowing" the foliage. Once the pads are starting to develop,
you can start doing clip and grow pruning to refine the shape and outline.
I don't recommend much wire as the plant back-buds reliably and is both very
stiff and brittle. Branch benders work well if pressure is applied slowly.
Soil seems to be uncritical but should have some organic matter as the plant
is an understory tree.

Hollies don't seem to have many pest problems in my area but occasionally
the plant will catch something, turn brown and die. This is disturbing when
it happens but it doesn't seem to be contagious if you clean your tools and
sterilize your pots. I don't know what causes this so if anyone finds out a
cure or preventative, I'd be happy to hear about it. In landscaping, they
just take out the dead one and put in a new one.

Yaupon is fun material, I like it a lot and hope you will too. Enjoy. Have
fun - jay

Jay Beckenbach - Melrose, FL - Zone 8b/9a

-----Original Message-----
From: JOEL MCCORMICK ]
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2003 12:19 PM
Subject: Yaupon Holly as mame


Hello group,

I picked up some yaupon hollys today at Wal-Mart for 2.50 each. I look
through about 20 to find 2 with good taper and movement. My question is - Do
they make good mame bonsai? Anyone here have experience with Yaupon hollys?
I have looked at several websites and have seen some impressive trees.
Thanks in advance,
Joel

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