Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red' - Winter Red Winterberry

Winter Red Winterberry is a slow-growing upright deciduous shrub with a rounded habit and luscious dark green foliage.  As a female cultivar, Winter Red produces heavy amounts of large glossy bright red berries if pollinated that can persist all the way to spring.  Best planted in moist, slightly acidic well-drained soils.  Hollies are dioecious and need both male and female plants to produce fruit.  

Ilex verticillata is a native food source for several animals and pollinators, and acts as a host for various moths and the Henry's Elfin Butterfly.  While the wildlife enjoys the berries they are toxic to humans.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Low Maintenance.  Water regularly.   Well-drained soils essential.   Potential issues include mites, scale, leaf spot, rot, and mildew.  Susceptible to leaf scorch or drop if not protected from afternoon sun in hotter climates.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Wildlife Gardens, Privacy Screen, Foundation Plantings, Hedges, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS: Magnolia, Peony, Blueberry

IMAGES: Photo by David J. Stang, Ilex verticillata Winter Red 9zz, CC BY-SA 4.0

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown