Ilex verticillata

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling

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

Description

Winterberry is a deciduous native holly typically found ins swamps, damp thickets, woodlands and along stream banks. It is a slow-growing, deciduous shrub with an upright-rounded habit that typically grows 3-12’ tall. In the wild, it often suckers to form large thickets or colonies. This plant is slightly salt-tolerant, tolerant to wet soils, and intolerant to alkaline soils. Winterberry is easy to transplant but has known pest problems.

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). 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.

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.

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.

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'
'Jim Dandy'
Early blooming male pollinator
'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'

Tags:

#bees #butterflies #deciduous #birds #rain garden #wildlife plant #nectar plant #salt tolerant #winter interest #tsc #fall interest #hedge #berries #playground #year-round interest #wet sites #stream banks #specialized bees #cpp #low flammability #cedar waxwing #bushy #shrub border #ponds #children's garden #fire resistant #winter #edible fruits #pollinator plant #Braham Arboretum #fantz

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

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'
'Jim Dandy'
Early blooming male pollinator
'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'

Tags:

Attributes:
Genus:

Ilex

Species:

verticillata

Family:

Aquifoliaceae

Uses (Ethnobotany):

Hedge, Rain Garden

Life Cycle:

Woody

Distribution:

Eastern North America

Fire Risk Rating:

low flammability

Wildlife Value:

The Winterberry is a host plant for Henry's Elfin butterfly. Butterflies nectar at the blooms. Its fruits are eaten by songbirds like cedar waxwings and small mammals. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi.

Play Value:

Attracts Pollinators

Edible fruit

Wildlife Food Source

Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):

resistant to fire and mildly resistant to damage by deer.

Dimensions:

Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.

Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.

Whole Plant Traits:
Plant Type:

Native Plant

Shrub

Tree

Leaf Characteristics:

Deciduous

Habit/Form:

Clumping

Multi-stemmed

Oval

Rounded

Growth Rate:

Slow

Maintenance:

Low

Texture:

Medium

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

Loam (Silt)

Sand

Soil pH:

Acid (<6.0)

Soil Drainage:

Frequent Standing Water

Good Drainage

Moist

Occasionally Wet

Available Space To Plant:

3 feet-6 feet

NC Region:

Coastal

Mountains

Piedmont

Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:

3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

Fruit:
Fruit Color:

Orange

Red/Burgundy

Fruit Value To Gardener:

Long-lasting

Showy

Display/Harvest Time:

Fall

Summer

Winter

Fruit Type:

Berry

Drupe

Fruit Length:

< 1 inch

Fruit Width:

< 1 inch

Fruit Description:

Bright red berry-like drupe on female plants; persists into winter. Berries ripen in late summer to early fall and last a while if birds don't eat them. Berries have a terminal black "dot" instead of a "fly" like the Rosaceae berries. Berries are striking on naked branches.

Flowers:
Flower Color:

Gold/Yellow

Green

White

Flower Inflorescence:

Insignificant

Flower Value To Gardener:

Showy

Flower Bloom Time:

Spring

Summer

Flower Description:

This plant has relatively inconspicuous greenish-white flowers that appear in the leaf axils in late spring. Flowers, if properly pollinated, give way to a crop of bright red berries (1/4” diameter) in late summer to fall. Ilex verticillata 'Winter Gold' have tiny white flowers with a green/yellow center.

Leaves:
Leaf Characteristics:

Deciduous

Leaf Color:

Black

Green

Purple/Lavender

Leaf Feel:

Glossy

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:

Deciduous, simple, smooth, acuminate, cuneate, obovate to oblong-ovate 1.5-4 inches long double serrated or doubly serrated alternate leaves. Leaves are pubescent on veins beneath. Ilex verticillata 'Winter Gold' have green leaves with obvious venation outline ontop with a lighter green underside where the veins are obvious in a pale-green.

Bark:
Bark Color:

Black

Dark Brown

Dark Gray

Light Brown

Light Gray

Red/Burgundy

Surface/Attachment:

Smooth

Bark Description:

Grey to blackish with knobby lenticel bark, grey to grey-brown buds.

Stem:
Stem Color:

Brown/Copper

Stem Is Aromatic:

No

Stem Lenticels:

Conspicuous

Stem Description:

Stems are olive-brown to purplish-brown and are lenticelled.

Landscape:
Landscape Location:

Pond

Recreational Play Area

Riparian

Landscape Theme:

Children's Garden

Native Garden

Pollinator Garden

Rain Garden

Winter Garden

Design Feature:

Border

Foundation Planting

Hedge

Mass Planting

Attracts:

Butterflies

Pollinators

Small Mammals

Songbirds

Specialized Bees

Resistance To Challenges:

Deer

Fire

Salt

Wet Soil