Winter Red Winterberry
Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red'
SKU
00773
Small white blooms produce bright red fruit in fall, providing vivid winter color on bare stems. Plant a late-blooming male pollenizer such as Southern Gentleman Winterberry nearby for berry production. Use as foundation color or in the back of a border for seasonal interest. An ideal natural hedge plant with an upright habit. Deciduous.
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Partial sun
Water regularly to maintain wet or evenly moist soil - weekly or more.
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| Botanical Pronunciation | EYE-leks ver-tiss-ih-LAY-tuh |
|---|---|
| Lore | Ilex verticillata is native to eastern North America where it is typically found in low elevation wooded areas, along ponds and streams, and in damp thickets, and swamps. Ilex verticillata are dioecious (translated as "two houses"), meaning there are distinctly separate male and female plants. The attractive red berries which are the signature of the winterberries are produced on female varieties such as 'Winter Red', if a male variety is nearby to provide pollen. Generally, one male winterberry can pollenize up to ten female plants. 'Winter Red' is a late-blooming winterberry that produces female flowers in early summer and is best partnered with a correlating late-blooming male winterberry. |
| Average Size at Maturity | Moderate growing; reaches 8 ft. tall and wide. |
| Bloom Time | Inconspicuous summer flowers; prized for foliage and ornamental berries. |
| Deciduous/ Evergreen | Deciduous |
| Flower Color | White |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Garden Style | Asian/Zen, Contemporary, Cottage, Rustic |
| Growth Habit | Rounded |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Landscape Use | Barrier, Firescaping/Firewise, Hedge, Mass Planting, Privacy Screen, Very Wet Areas, Woodland Garden, Wildlife Garden, Urban Garden |
| Light Needs | Partial sun |
| Special Feature | Extreme Cold Hardiness, Naturalizes Well, North American Native Selection, Ornamental Berries, Tolerates Wet Soils, Bird Friendly, Tolerates Urban Pollution, Tolerates Road Salt |
| Water Needs | High |
| Watering Needs | Water regularly to maintain wet or evenly moist soil - weekly or more. |
| Companion Plants | Peony (Paeonia); Lily of the Valley Shrub (Pieris); Astilbe (Astilbe); Azalea (Azalea); False Holly (Osmanthus); Sweetspire (Itea) |
Provide organically rich, acidic, moist, loamy soil; tolerates wet, heavy soils. Water deeply, regularly in first few growing seasons to establish root system; once established, water regularly to maintain evenly moist soil. Feed and prune annually to shape before new growth emerges in late winter to early spring.
This Plant's Growing Zones: 3-8
Your USDA Cold Hardiness Zone:
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