Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute

Desert Yaupon is a common throughout the western portion of South Texas in various soil types, but mostly prefers heavier soils and rocky hillsides in mixed brush habitats.  The leaves are browsed by white-tailed deer, and the fruit are eaten by several species of birds and mammals including the bobwhite quail, scaled quail, cactus wren, cayote.  Desert Yaupon is drought-tolerant and birds occasionally nest in this shrub.