If you are looking for an ornamental plant to bring dazzle to the wintertime landscape painting , study the bearberry , also known as winterberry holly or North American holly .
Although in the same flora house as English holly ( Ilex aquifolium)–our traditional Christmas holly with its shining evergreen plant foliage and burnished red berries – winterberry ( Ilex verticillata ) is a deciduous industrial plant . It loses its tedious gullible leaves in fall , leaving an abundance of attractive scarlet berries on every prow and offset .
Native populations of winterberry can be found from the easterly Canadian state of Newfoundland and New Brunswick to the south to Virginia and as far due west as Michigan . This bush is generally found in soggy areas , wet copse , and depleted timberland , and can grow up to 10 to 15 human foot tall . cultivar for landscape situation range in height from three foot up to10 or 12 .
Winterberry is hardy for USDA hardiness zone 3 to 9 though select your cultivar cautiously as some are audacious only to geographical zone 5 . Plant in full sunlight . This plant prefers acidic to slightly acidulent , wet soil , conditions which mime its natural habitat . plant it near a pool or stream is everlasting . However , it also can be grow in desiccant soil or partial shade though may not fan out as much .
It is ideal for wildlife landscaping as it provide nesting sites for songbirds and yield for crimson squirrel , cedar waxwings , catbirds , thrushes , and other birds . It is amazingly disease - resistant , prone only to periodic foliage spot or powdery mildew .
One affair to keep in intellect is that you will require to plant both male and distaff plant for fruit production . Purchase at least one male plant for every three to four distaff plant , and plant life close together .
You also need to guess about placement in the garden as this shrub is at its most attractive stagecoach from August through mid - winter when its branches are covered with brilliantly colourise berries . ( I find mine lose berries or they ’re eat by Thanksgiving – a kickshaw for the birds ! ) In summertime this works has only tiny white flowers . foliage are pale to glum green and elliptic to round in shape , depending on cultivar .
Many cultivars of Ilex decidua turn well in this part of the area . ‘ Winter Red ’ is a dearie for cut for arrangements as it is multi - stemmed with an copiousness of brilliant scarlet , medium - sized berries and dark unripened parting that turn bronze in autumn . It can spring up to nine feet tall . ‘ Winter Gold ’ has a similar growth substance abuse and produces attractive pink - Orange River Chuck Berry that get paler as they age .
For a low hedging or mass planting , choose ‘ Red Sprite ’ with its blotto branching and ripe height of only three to five feet or ‘ Afterglow ’ with its lovely orange - red berry . Or inquire your landscaper or the experts at your local nursery for their recommendations on the best cultivars for your situation .
WINTERBERRY : OUR NATIVE HOLLY
By Dr. Leonard PerryExtension Greenhouse and Nursery Crops SpecialistUniversity of Vermont
