Yaupon Holly Seed Pack, Ilex vomitoria, 15 Seeds Per Pack

Yaupon holly is one of the only plant in north America that contains caffeine, and has been used traditionally to make a beverage known as black drink. The leaves are picked close to time of consumption, and lightly ‘roasted’ in order to make the caffeine more soluble, much like coffee. Yaupon holly is also widely used in landscaping in its native range around the gulf, with evergreen foliage and sporting small red berries. The small berries which are inedible to humans are enjoyed by a variety of wildlife such as birds and small mammals.

Growing Instructions: Full to part sun, moderate to low water needs.
Yaupon grows very well outdoors, being tolerant of both wet and dry conditions, as well as being tolerant to transplanting (not to mention relatively pest-free)

It's best to start seeds after the threat of frost has passed (or starting several weeks earlier indoors), start in seed trays (or small pots), and keep the seeding medium moist until germination, at which point you may begin a regular watering routine. The seeds only need to be lightly covered in soil, about a depth equal to the diameter of the seed (~1/4 in). Once the plant has grown large enough to be removed from its tray or starting pot without ripping the roots it can be bumped into a larger pot or transplanted. If transplanting into the direct sun, it's safest to acclimate the young plant to the new conditions by slowly increasing its exposure to the sun and heat. Once established yaupon should need very little irrigation outside of drought conditions. Note: If you want to grow it as a small tree, limit it to a single upright trunk by removing any of the lower side branches.