Ilex verticillata- Winterberry
Description
General: A native, deciduous holly thats rounded, dense and muti-stemmed in habit. Grows 6 to 10′ in height with a similar spread.
Leaves: Alternate, dark green and simple, up to 3″ long with a variable shape (elliptic to obovate) and toothed. Usually does not present fall color, but will occasionally have leaves yellow or purple tinged.
Flower: Relatively inconspicuous greenish-white clusters in early spring.
Fruit: Berry like, rounded, bright red drupes up to 1/2″ across occur in pairs in the early fall and persist into late winter.
Attributes: Excellent when used in groupings in shrub borders both residentially as well as commercially. Works well for sites with wet soils, bird gardens or native plant areas. Need both male and female plants for berry set.
Culture
Hardiness: Zones 3-9.
Growing Conditions: Average, acidic, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade.
Maintenance: Leaf spots, powdery mildew, nothing serious.
Transplanting: Transplant balled and burlapped or as a container plant into moist soils.
Our Experience
Experience at Great Hill
Winterberry can be found in several gardens on great hill. We use it in masses along shrub borders for year round interest as well as for cutting for use in our winter decor. There are several outstanding cultivars for berry set and habit currently sold in nurserys and garden centers all over the northeast.