Hollies (species Ilex) are easily recognized by most gardeners, and even by many non-gardeners. They are typically evergreen, frequently prickly, and often have gorgeous red fruit to brighten the winter landscape. Coastal Virginia is fortunate to have several native species of holly; some fit that prickly evergreen stereotype, like American holly (I. opaca), while others would be unrecognizable as hollies to most people.
One of these unusual hollies is the winterberry (I. verticillata), whose deciduous foliage never hurt anyone’s bare feet.
Native just about everywhere east of the Mississippi, winterberry is found growing naturally next to streams, lakes and rivers, and in swamps and other freshwater wetlands. They can reach 10 to 15 feet tall and have a shrubby, multi-stemmed habit. Winterberry is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants — important to remember if you want one for your garden. The flowers, which are spring-blooming and pale yellow to greenish white, are not terribly showy, but like many other hollies’ they attract numerous beneficial pollinators.
While the flowers may lack a wow factor, the fruit certainly does not. In mid-fall the berries begin to ripen and turn a beautiful glossy red, held in thick clusters along the stems. The leaves often turn a beautiful golden yellow before they fall, nicely complementing the red berries. The fruit appears only on female plants, and only if pollination has taken place from a nearby male. Once the leaves fall, that showy fruit really stands out on the plant’s dark, bare branches, which will appear to drip with red. Add a dusting of snow and you have an instant social media moment, or a magazine-worthy photo op. The fruit typically persists into the new year, and by then many bird species will have found them, relishing a great winter food source.
Winterberry is not a difficult plant to grow, it thrives in our climate, and it is not typically bothered by pests or diseases. Even deer and rabbits tend to ignore them. They do well in full sun to partial shade, though too much shade will reduce flowering and thus fruiting. They will also do well in the wetter areas of your garden and don’t mind the poor drainage that is detrimental to so many other plants. Once they are established, they can even take a bit of drought.
Several selections of winterberry are available, including some with orange or yellow fruit for the non-traditionalist. The ultimate size of the plant will vary by selection, but several dwarf selections are available if space is an issue.
The most important factor in choosing varieties is pollination. To produce that showy fruit, the females must have a male plant within 50 feet for pollination, and just as in the human world, not all males and females are compatible. If the flowers on each sex are not open at the same time, pollination will not occur. When you shop, make sure the garden center has the specific male and female plants that are compatible with each other.
Winterberry has a lot going for it. It is native; attracts pollinators; feeds the birds; is easy to grow; and is a beautiful addition to the landscape, especially in winter, when we need bright color. On top of all that, you could make a little money from them. Just in time for the holidays, cut winterberry branches are sold at the florist for about $15 to $20 apiece! At that price, a few stems will more than pay for the cost of the plant — not that you should need any additional incentive to plant this holly that’s like few others.
Wild Green Yonder is a monthly feature of the staff at Norfolk Botanical Garden, where Les Parks is the director of horticulture.
