Holly BushesA Grower's Guide to Holly
Yaupon Holly

Bordeaux

Dwarf yaupon with wine-red new growth.

Bordeaux belongs to the yaupon holly, grown for its foliage and the reliable structure it brings to the garden year-round. Below is a full profile of Bordeaux — its characteristics, how to grow it, whether it needs a pollinator for berries, and answers to the questions gardeners ask most.

About Bordeaux

As one of the yaupon holly, Bordeaux carries the traits gardeners look for in the group. Ilex vomitoria is a resilient Southern native whose small leaves and translucent red berries suit everything from clipped columns to naturalized screens.

Bordeaux is evergreen and hardy across USDA zones 7-11, so it suits a wide range of gardens with the right acidic, well-drained soil and seasonal care.

Characteristics and form

Bordeaux makes an adaptable evergreen shrub or small tree, from dwarf mounds to narrow columns, typically around 3-4 ft tall and 4 to 12 feet wide by form. Its foliage is small, smooth, spineless leaves of fine texture. Knowing a holly's mature size and habit is the key to placing it well: give Bordeaux room to reach its full spread without crowding, which also keeps air moving through the plant and disease at bay.

Berries and pollination

Bordeaux is grown for its foliage and form rather than its fruit, so berries are not the reason to plant it. It earns its place through evergreen texture and its value as dwarf hedges and edging, and topiary and columns.

Remember: holly is dioecious — male and female flowers grow on separate plants, and only pollinated females bear fruit. See our full guide to holly berries and pollination for how to guarantee a berry crop.

How to grow Bordeaux

Plant Bordeaux where it will get full sun to part shade in acidic, moist, well-drained soil. Full sun gives the densest growth. Set the plant at the depth it grew in the pot, water it deeply while it establishes, and mulch the root zone to hold moisture and keep the soil cool and acidic.

  • Light: Full sun to part shade; full sun gives the densest growth.
  • Soil: Acidic, moist, and well-drained, ideally pH 5.0–6.5. Improve heavy or alkaline ground with organic matter and keep it mulched.
  • Water: Deep, regular watering while establishing; steady summer moisture.
  • Feeding: An acid-forming holly fertilizer in early spring keeps the foliage deep green.
  • Pruning: Shape in late winter, before growth begins, to preserve the flowers that become berries.

Where to use Bordeaux in the garden

Bordeaux suits dwarf hedges and edging, topiary and columns, coastal and dry sites, and wildlife plantings. Use dwarf yaupons for low formal edging and the upright and weeping forms as living accents in tough, sunny spots.

Common problems and care

Yaupon is among the most durable hollies, tolerating heat, drought, salt, and poor soil once established in full sun to part shade. Watch for the usual holly troubles — leaf miner, scale, and spider mites, and root rot in soggy ground — and head them off with the right site, good drainage, and good air flow. Yellowing leaves usually signal alkaline soil or poor drainage rather than disease.

Bordeaux — frequently asked questions

How big does Bordeaux get?

Bordeaux grows into an adaptable evergreen shrub or small tree, from dwarf mounds to narrow columns, typically reaching 3-4 ft tall and 4 to 12 feet wide by form. Its final size depends on your climate, the site, and how you prune it.

Does Bordeaux have berries, and does it need a male holly?

Bordeaux is grown mainly for its foliage rather than berries, so it is not planted for fruit.

Is Bordeaux evergreen or deciduous?

Bordeaux is evergreen, holding its small, smooth, spineless leaves of fine texture through the winter.

What hardiness zones does Bordeaux grow in?

Bordeaux is hardy in USDA zones 7-11. That range describes the winter cold it can survive; gardeners colder than zone 7 should give it a sheltered site or choose a hardier holly.

Is Bordeaux easy to grow?

Yaupon is among the most durable hollies, tolerating heat, drought, salt, and poor soil once established in full sun to part shade. Give Bordeaux an acidic, well-drained soil and the ordinary seasonal care any holly appreciates, and it is a straightforward, low-maintenance shrub.

When should I prune Bordeaux?

Prune Bordeaux in late winter, while it is dormant and before spring growth begins — that shapes the plant without removing the flower buds that become the next season's berries.

More yaupon holly