Ilex verticillata

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling

EE-leks ver-tik-il-LAY-tah

Description

Winterberry is a deciduous tree that may grow 10 to 15 feet tall, but it often occurs in the wild as a shrub. The leaves are alternate with a sharply toothed margin and hairy underside. The bark is thin, smooth, and gray-brown. In spring, stalked, yellow-green flowers mature in clusters. Female specimens produce red-orange drupes that mature in the fall.

The common name comes from the red berries that provide winter interest and sometimes persist into early spring (if the birds don't eat them). The berries appear just as the leaves are dropping in the fall. Berries have a terminal black "dot" instead of a "fly" like the Rosaceae berries. To obtain beautiful berries the plants must be property cross-pollinated. Match blooming times with a male pollinator like 'Jim Dandy' or 'Southern Gentleman' by planting one male (per 10-20 females) within 50 feet of female plants. There are dwarf cultivars available.

Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.

Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Leaf spots and powdery mildew occasionally occur. Neutral to alkaline soils may cause chlorosis (yellowing of leaves) and even death. It may abort fruit set in dry soil.

Quick ID Hints:

Deciduous shrubby holly with persistent red berries.
Berry has a terminal black dot, not a 'fly'.
Leaves are serrate and veins are pubescent underneath.

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 landscapes:

Sloped Front Yard Entryway Garden, Cabarrus County Extension Office

Cultivars / Varieties:

'Afterglow'
Pollinated by 'Apollo', 'Jim Dandy', 'Raritan'
'Berry Heavy'
Pollinated by: 'Jim Dandy'
'Berry Nice'
Pollinated by: 'Jim Dandy'
'Bright Horizon'
'Carolina Cardinal'
'Golden Verboom'
'Jim Dandy'
Early blooming male pollinator
'Jolly Red'
'Little Goblin Red'
'Nana'
Smaller 5 ft tall
'Red Sprite'
Pollinated by: 'Jim Dandy', 'Raritan'

'Southern Gentleman'
Late blooming male pollinator

'Sparkleberry'
Pollinated by: 'Apollo', 'Southern Gentleman', Raritan
'Sunset'
8 ft. tall

'Winter Gold'

Green leaves with tiny white flowers

'Winter Red'
9 ft. tall, pollinated by: 'Apollo', 'Southern Gentleman'

'Afterglow', 'Berry Heavy', 'Berry Nice', 'Bright Horizon', 'Carolina Cardinal', 'Golden Verboom', 'Jim Dandy', 'Jolly Red', 'Little Goblin Red', 'Nana', 'Red Sprite', 'Southern Gentleman', 'Sparkleberry', 'Sunset', 'Winter Gold', 'Winter Red'

Tags:

#deciduous #fall color #rain garden #wildlife plant #native tree #nectar plant #salt tolerant #yellow leaves #winter interest #tsc #fall interest #berries #playground #year-round interest #hedges #wet sites #stream banks #specialized bees #food source #cpp #low flammability #NC native #cedar waxwing #bushy #ponds #children's garden #fire resistant #edible fruits #pollinator plant #Braham Arboretum #fantz #winter fruits #larval host plant #food source fall #food source nectar #food source pollen #Coastal FACW #Piedmont Mountains FACW #fall color yellow #fruits #bird friendly #nectar plant late spring #food source soft mast fruit #butterfly friendly #nectar plant mid-spring #tsc-s #pollinator garden #bee friendly #audubon #shrub borders

ilex verticillata fruit and leaves — fruit and leaves Nacho 13 CC BY 2.0

Ilex verticillata in container — in container Superior National Forest CC BY 2.0

Ilex verticillata orange berries — orange berries James Steakley CC BY-SA 3.0

Ilex verticillata — Fruit detail Kerry Woods CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Ilex verticillata leaves and flowers — leaves and flowers SB Johnny CC BY-SA 3.0

Ilex verticillata leaves and berries — leaves and berries Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz CC BY-SA 4.0

Ilex verticillata male flowers — male flowers Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org CC BY 3.0

ilex verticulata in fall in Moore County — in fall in Moore County Susan Strine CC BY 2.0

Ilex verticillata in summer in Moore County — Leaves in summer in Moore County Susan Strine CC BY 2.0

Ilex verticillata 'Bright Horizon' in fruit Tom Potterfield CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

ilex verticillata berries with street lights in December — berries with street lights in December Rodger Evans CC BY-ND 2.0

ilex verticillata fruit in snow — Fruits provide winter interest. Plant Image Library CC-BY-SA 2.0

ilex verticillata fruit in snow and ice — fruit in snow and ice Kristine Paulus CC BY 2.0

ilex verticulata's form in the fall in Moore County — Form with yellow leaves in the fall in Moore County Susan Strine CC BY 2.0

Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red' Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Form Close-up Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Fruit and Leaf Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Fruit and Leaf Close-up Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

'Jolly Red' Fruit Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

'Jolly Red' Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

'Jolly Red' Fruit and Leaf Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

'Winter Red' Full form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

foliage and berries, winter, Catawba County NC Bob Peterson CC BY-NC-ND 4.0