Winterberry Ilex verticillata 'Southern Gentleman'
Other plants called Winterberry:
Previously known as:
- 'Late Male'
- Phonetic Spelling
- EYE-leks ver-ti-sil-LAH-tah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Winterberry is a member of the Aquifoliaceae (holly ) family native to swampy areas of Eastern North America. The 'Southern Gentleman' cultivar is a perennial, woody, deciduous tree or shrub that may grow 6 to 8 feet high.
Plant ‘Southern Gentleman’ in full sun to partial shade. It is adaptable to various soil types, including heavy clay, but it requires an acidic soil. Flowers will appear on new growth, thus if pruning is needed to shape the plant, do it in early spring just before new growth appears. Because 'Southern Gentleman' is a male plant, it produces no fruit.
Winterberry is dioecious, meaning individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. The 'Southern Gentleman' cultivar is the late-blooming male pollenizer plant for other, late-blooming, female Ilex verticillata plants. You need a ratio of one male winterberry for every 6 to10 female plants. The late blooming female I. verticillata cultivars include ‘Cacapon’, ‘Shaver’, 'Sparkleberry’, ‘Sunset’, ‘Winter Gold’, and 'Winter Red'.
Plant as a hedge, border tree, or foundation planting. As it prefers moist soil and can tolerate poorly drained soils, it can also be planted near a pond or in a rain garden. The foliage is a food source for wildlife. It is also a host plant for butterflies and attracts specialized bees.
Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.
Quick ID Hints:
- Deciduous shrubby holly no fruits
- Leaves are serrated and veins are pubescent underneath.
- Leaf veins are impressed.
Insects, Diseases, Other Plant Problems: The native holly leafminer, Japanese wax scale, and southern red mites are the most frequently reported pests of hollies in the southeastern United States. Leaf spots and powdery mildew occasionally occur. Neutral to alkaline soils may cause chlorosis (yellowing of leaves) and even death.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ilex
- Species:
- verticillata
- Family:
- Aquifoliaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- hedges, rain garden
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Distribution:
- Native North Carolina
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- The Winterberry is a host plant for Henry's Elfin butterfly and attracts other pollinators. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi. The foliage is food source for rabbits and deer.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- resistant to fire, damage by deer, heat, and drought.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Will not produce fruits as this is a male plant.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Insignificant
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Insignificant greenish-white male flowers appear in clusters of 6 or more in leaf axils. Blooms April to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Doubly Serrate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Dark green glossy leaves that have purple-bronze to yellow fall color.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Grey to blackish with knobby lenticel bark, grey to grey-brown buds.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Description:
- Stems are olive-brown to purplish-brown and are lenticelled.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Small Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Fire
- Salt
- Wet Soil
