Native to southern China, Indian Hawthorn is a popular landscape shrub due to the natural ability to stay at a manageable size, spring blooms, and attractive berries in the fall. If there was any drawback to the hawthorns, it would be that deer prefer them to any other plant when dining in everyone’s backyard. ‘Snow White’ forms a natural mound shape, no more than three feet tall.  

Indian Hawthorn leaves are alternate and leathery to the touch, with serrated margins. ‘Snow White’ is a cultivar with leaves that start red to burgundy, turning dark green within a month.  Flowers in the spring are white, no more than ¾” in diameter and appearing in large clusters. Pome fruits that follow in the fall are dark purple to black, attracting birds.  

Hawthorns prefer well drained soils, and can tolerate poor quality soil and even drought once established. 

For almost any landscape need, there is a cultivar or hybrid of The Chinese Holly (Ilex Cornuta) to satisfy it. Hollies prefer acidic fertile moist and well drained soils, but they adapt to the adverse condtions, including poorly drained soils. Young stems are yellow-green, turning silver-gray as they mature.

The Chinese hollies are dioecious, with small yellow-white flowers in the late spring and early summer, somewhat noticeable. Later in the fall they will develop highly ornamental red drupe berries in clusters that normally persist into the winter providing food for birds. These hollies have alternate simple leaves that are elliptical and feel like plastic; they will have at least one spine, and possibly up to several along leave margins.  

‘Burfordii nana’ is a dwarf cultivar of the Burfordii, averaging only six feet in height, not often up to eight feet.  Makes an excellent medium border or hedge. The berry fruits in the fall aren’t as abundant either.  The leaves have a sharp spine on the tip, and roughly half the leaves will have two spines along the sides.  

Native to Texas, Yaupon Holly is a species of holly that tolerates the hot and dry Texas summers with relative ease, however prospers when provided more ideal conditions. Yaupons include evergreen shrubs or small trees with light gray bark, and small oval shaped alternate leaves with coarsely serrated margins. It forms multiple stems in clumps, giving the plant some density despite the smaller leaves. ‘Nana’ is a dwarf cultivar of Yaupon Holly, never growing over five feet in height or width. It’s often trimmed into hedges or shaped into topiary balls in the landscape.

The small white flowers in the spring are somewhat striking. The red drupe berries common with Yaupon are not as noticeable with ‘Nana’. They stay on during the winter, attracting birds and other wildlife as a food source.

Ilex vomitoria received its name from its usage with Native Americans; it was an ingredient in teas used in rituals that would induce vomiting.  Yaupon tolerates nearly any quality type of soil, and can be grown along the coastline as well. 

Native to Texas, Yaupon Holly is a species of holly that tolerates the hot and dry Texas summers with relative ease, however prospers when provided more ideal conditions. Yaupons include evergreen shrubs or small trees with light gray bark, and small oval shaped alternate leaves with coarsely serrated margins. It forms multiple stems in clumps, giving the plant some density despite the smaller leaves.

The small white flowers in the spring are somewhat striking; however the red drupe berries that follow in the fall to winter are the main attraction. They stay on during the winter, attracting birds and other wildlife as a food source.

Ilex vomitoria received its name from its usage with Native Americans; it was an ingredient in teas used in rituals that would induce vomiting.  Yaupon tolerates nearly any quality type of soil, and can be grown along the coastline as well.

Native to Texas, Yaupon Holly is a species of holly that tolerates the hot and dry Texas summers with relative ease, however prospers when provided more ideal conditions. Yaupons include evergreen shrubs or small trees with light gray bark, and small oval shaped alternate leaves with coarsely serrated margins. It forms multiple stems in clumps, giving the plant some density despite the smaller leaves.

The small white flowers in the spring are somewhat striking; however the red drupe berries that follow in the fall to winter are the main attraction. They stay on during the winter, attracting birds and other wildlife as a food source.

Ilex vomitoria received its name from its usage with Native Americans; it was an ingredient in teas used in rituals that would induce vomiting.  Yaupon tolerates nearly any quality type of soil, and can be grown along the coastline as well.

Nellie R. Stevens holly stands out as a popular choice for landscapes in the state of Texas, offering a unique blend of beauty, resilience, and functionality. This evergreen shrub boasts glossy, dark green leaves and vibrant red berries, adding year-round interest to gardens and urban settings. Its dense growth habit and tolerance to a variety of environmental conditions make it a versatile and reliable option for Texas landscapes.

One of the primary uses of Nellie R. Stevens holly in Texas is as a hedging plant or privacy screen. Its dense foliage and fast growth rate make it well-suited for creating visual barriers and defining property lines. Whether used as a standalone hedge or incorporated into mixed borders, this holly cultivar provides both aesthetic appeal and functional benefits, such as noise reduction and windbreak.

Furthermore, Nellie R. Stevens holly is valued for its ability to thrive in the challenging climate of Texas, including heat, drought, and slightly alkaline soils, although it appreciates acidic soils more. Its adaptability to a range of soil types and its low maintenance requirements make it a popular choice for homeowners and landscapers seeking resilient plants that can withstand the rigors of Texas summers. Too much alkaline will turn leaves yellow, however regular fertilization and soil treatments will turn foliage back to green.

Nellie R. Stevens holly stands out as a popular choice for landscapes in the state of Texas, offering a unique blend of beauty, resilience, and functionality. This evergreen shrub boasts glossy, dark green leaves and vibrant red berries, adding year-round interest to gardens and urban settings. Its dense growth habit and tolerance to a variety of environmental conditions make it a versatile and reliable option for Texas landscapes.

One of the primary uses of Nellie R. Stevens holly in Texas is as a hedging plant or privacy screen. Its dense foliage and fast growth rate make it well-suited for creating visual barriers and defining property lines. Whether used as a standalone hedge or incorporated into mixed borders, this holly cultivar provides both aesthetic appeal and functional benefits, such as noise reduction and windbreak.

Furthermore, Nellie R. Stevens holly is valued for its ability to thrive in the challenging climate of Texas, including heat, drought, and slightly alkaline soils, although it appreciates acidic soils more. Its adaptability to a range of soil types and its low maintenance requirements make it a popular choice for homeowners and landscapers seeking resilient plants that can withstand the rigors of Texas summers. Too much alkaline will turn leaves yellow, however regular fertilization and soil treatments will turn foliage back to green.

Breaking the mold of spiny, evergreen hollies is Ilex decidua, or Possomhaw – a deciduous Holly.

Possomhaw has a very upright growth habit when young, reaching up several feet before spreading out. Glossy dark green leaves cover this large shrub or small tree in the summer, turn yellow before falling off in the early winter.  Small white flowers are inconspicuous in the spring – and require a male Ilex decidua or opaca nearby to pollinate. If pollinated, they produce a large quantity of orange-red drupe berries common to the Hollies, that contract beautifully in the winter against the silver-grey bark.

‘Warren’s Red’ is an all-female cultivar that has the most quantitative berry load of the deciduous hollies. Best used in the landscape as a specimen or even providing summer shade against the house. Native to the wetlands of North America, Possomhaw adapts to poor soils conditions and is drought tolerant once established. 

Native to Texas, Yaupon Holly is a species of holly that tolerates the hot and dry Texas summers with relative ease, however prospers when provided more ideal conditions. Yaupons include evergreen shrubs or small trees with light gray bark, and small oval shaped alternate leaves with coarsely serrated margins. It forms multiple stems in clumps, giving the plant some density despite the smaller leaves.

The small white flowers in the spring are somewhat striking; however the red drupe berries that follow in the fall to winter are the main attraction. They stay on during the winter, attracting birds and other wildlife as a food source. ‘Pride of Houston’ Yaupon is an all-female cultivar, guaranteeing berries every season.

Ilex vomitoria received its name from its usage with Native Americans; it was an ingredient in teas used in rituals that would induce vomiting.  Yaupon tolerates nearly any quality type of soil, and can be grown along the coastline as well.

A vigorous semi-evergreen that is not only used as a vine or groundcover, but can be trimmed into a hedge. It should be segregated from other shrubs or small trees as it can rapidly cover them. Hall's Honesuckle grows up to 15 feet in length and bears fragrant yellow-white flowers throughout the warm seasons, attracting butterflies. It will grow in the shade, but will not flower. Tolerant of poor soils and drought, coupled with rapid growth habit make this honeysuckle an ideal choice for mass plantings on banks and slopes for controlling erosion. In the landscape, it tolerates heavy pruning (even mowing) in the fall to keep under control.

A vigorous semi-evergreen that is used as a vine or groundcover. It should be segregated from other shrubs or small trees as it can rapidly cover them. 'Purpureae' grows up to 15 feet in length and bears fragrant purplish-red and white flowers throughout the warm seasons, attracting butterflies. It will grow in the shade, but will not flower. The leaves are a dark green to purple-green on top, with a purple hue underneath. Tolerant of poor soils and drought, coupled with rapid growth habit make this honeysuckle an ideal choice for mass plantings on banks and slopes for controlling erosion. In the landscape, it tolerates heavy pruning (even mowing) in the fall to keep under control.