Winterberry
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
Winterberry is a deciduous holly that typically occurs in swamps, damp thickets, low woods and along ponds and streams. It has toothed, dark green leaves and relatively inconspicuous greenish-white flowers. Flowers give way to bright red berries on the female plants, which persist throughout the winter and often into early spring. Loved by birds, these berries provide considerable impact and interest to the winter landscape.
*Winterberry is dioecies, meaning that female and male flowers are on different plants and both are required to produce berries. Our plants are unsexed (too young to identify male and female characteristics) and so we recommend purchasing a minimum of 3.
*Winterberry may be poisonous to humans and pets.
Bare root, 2-3'
Sourced from Michigan
Growing tips
- Plant male and female plants within 40-50 feet of each other to produce fruit
| Mature height (ft) | 5-12 |
| Mature spread (ft) | 3-12 |
| Native/Non-native | Native |
| Sun preference | Full sun or partial shade |
| Soil type preference | Adaptable; loam, sand, or clay |
| Soil moisture preference | Moist to wet, well-drained |
| Bloom | April to July |
| Fruits | August to October |
| Pollination | Requires cross-pollination |
| Zone | 3-9 |
| pH | 4.5-6.5 |
| Wildlife benefit | Food source, attracts pollinators |
| Uses | Rain garden, ornamental, shrub border |
*Non-native is not inherently negative; non-native species refers to any species living outside of its natural range and can have neutral, positive, or negative impacts. Invasive species are a non-native species that spread aggressively and cause harm to the environment, economy and/or human health. Many non-native species have naturalized and fill a beneficial niche in the ecosystem.
Resources
Plant Fact Sheet, NRCS
Winterberry, University of Minnesota Extension
North Carolina Extension Gardener, NC State Extension