If it were a sunny day in August, all those cars you see parked along the road in the middle of nowhere would be waiting while their owners foraged for blueberries in the underbrush closeby.
These days, those cars sit patiently while their drivers rush into brush, pruners in hand, to clip clumps of red berry-clad branches. And why not? These trendy twigs that seem to scream, “Maine country decorating,” are for sale all over at this time of year.
But why run the risk of sinking into swamps or trespassing on private property to carry home these berries when you can grow Ilex verticillata, better known as winterberry, in your own yard?
You may be more familiar with the evergreen Ilex, known as holly, with its red berries and glossy pointed leaves that stay on the shrub through the winter. Winterberry is holly’s deciduous cousin.
Since it drops its leaves every fall, the winterberry’s shiny red fruits are all the more visible, brightening up the winter landscape when the color is needed most.
Though it tends to frequent moist or swampy areas, winterberry will easily adapt to the average garden soil. And with few insect or disease problems, it’s a tremendously simple shrub to grow.
Ranging from three to 15 feet, the shrub forms a thick mass, aided by sucker growth, in wet sites while forming a tighter clump in drier soils. Although it blooms in summer, you might not even notice the small white flowers it produces; rather, it is in fall and winter that its clusters of berries provide the real show.
Nurseries carry a number of named cultivars of the winterberry. To obtain the best berry set, they recommend growing one male plant for every three to five female plants. And, of course, the male must be planted near the females. Perhaps the most popular selection is called “Winter Red.” An upright, multi-stemmed variety with an abundance of berries, the shrub reaches eight to nine feet when mature.
An excellent choice for smaller areas, “Red Sprite” remains mounded at three to five feet in height. If you’re looking for a low hedge or specimen plant, this might be the one for you.
A number of other cultivars are available as well – some even have orange-pink berries instead of the traditional red.
But, whatever your preference, don’t forget these winter beauties come springtime when you’re looking at your new plant budget. With their versatility, you can use winterberry to plant those trouble spots in your yard – those low-lying soggy areas, runoff ditches, or edges of retention ponds.
And, as a native plant, winterberry is a responsible choice for the environment. Put it on your “To Buy” list now while its abundant berries remind you of its abounding beauty.
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