Photo: Photo (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
Winterberry Holly
Ilex verticillata
Also called winterberry holly, black alder, canada holly.
Bare winter branches lined with scarlet berries, on a deciduous holly that loves wet ground.
Wildlife valueTolerates wet soil
- Type
- Shrub
- Mature height
- 6–12 ft
- USDA zones
- 3–9
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Sun
- Full · Part
- Soil moisture
- Average · Wet
210
Winterberry is the holly of swamps and pond edges, and the berries that light up winter feed robins, bluebirds and waxwings after everything else is gone. Plants are male or female; one male pollinates several females within about 50 feet. Tolerates flooding, clay and full sun. Seed-grown plants include both sexes.
Heights and zones are typical ranges for the species in cultivation; local conditions and seed source shift them. Estimate growth for this species →
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