Evergreen Holly with Drooping Limbs

So, it’s a Weeper

• Weeping yaupon hollies (Ilex vomitoria “Pendula”) have drooping branches that may be more accurately described as cascading. They grow out a few inches from the trunk then go straight down toward the ground. These trees grow 1 to 3 feet per year and can reach a height of 50 feet but usually top out at 15 to 30 feet tall and 6 to 12 feet wide. They can also be kept smaller when grown in containers or used in bonsai. Their small, grayish-green leaves are not toothy like the classic holly leaf, but the female trees do produce berries that ripen to red in the fall and persist into the winter, if the birds do not eat them.

A Weeper That’s Easy to Keep Happy

• Weeping yaupon hollies are hardy in USDA zones 8 to 10 where they can be grown in full sun or partial shade, although they tend to have more foliage and a compact shape in full sun. With their high tolerance for saltwater spray, they do very well when planted along the shoreline. The soil can be sandy, loamy or clay with a pH ranging from acidic to alkaline and should drain quickly. They are drought-tolerant but do best when the soil is kept lightly moist. Aphids, leaf miners, mites and scale insects may attack these trees but they are usually easily controlled by spraying the tree with horticultural oil. The oil is mixed with water, usually 1 to 2 ounces of oil per gallon, and sprayed on the tree. Coat the tops and bottoms of the leaves as well as the branches and trunk.

Don’t Call it Crybaby

• “East Palatka” hollies (Ilex x attenuata “East Palatka”) have truly drooping branches. They grow 1 to 3 feet each year and can grow to 50 feet tall but generally reach a height of 30 to 45 feet and width of 10 to 15 feet. They can also be kept smaller in containers, used in bonsai or grown as a hedge. Their oval, green leaves usually have one spiny point at the tip but may have a few along the edges. They are female hollies that produce an abundance of berries that ripen to red in the fall and are eaten by birds.

Tough but a Little Particular

• “East Palatka” hollies are hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9 where they grow in full sun or partial shade. They can be planted along shorelines with moderate salt spray exposure. The soil can be sandy, loamy or clay but must have an acidic pH of 6.9 or lower and drain quickly. They are highly drought-tolerant and have good pest and disease resistance, although they may be attacked by leaf miners and scale insects. If the insects become a problem, mix 1 to 2 ounces of horticultural oil in a gallon of water and spray the tree, paying close attention to the tops and undersides of the leaves.