Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red'

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Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red'

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Kemper Code: A655

Common Name: winterberry
Zone: 3 to 9
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Aquifoliaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: None
Height: 6 to 8 feet
Spread: 6 to 8 feet
Bloom Time: June - July
Bloom Color: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Adaptable to both light and heavy soils, but prefers moist, acidic, organic loams. Good tolerance for wet conditions (the species is native to swampy areas in Eastern North America). Winterberries are dioecious (separate male and female plants). ‘Winter Red’ is a female clone which needs a male pollinator to produce the attractive red berries which are the signature of the winterberries. Generally one male winterberry (such as I. verticillata ‘Southern Gentleman’) will be sufficient for pollinating 9-10 ‘Winter Red’ plants. Prune to shape in early spring just before new growth appears.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

‘Winter Red’ is a female winterberry cultivar that typically matures to 6-8’ tall. Among winterberry cultivars, it is noted for heavy fruiting, bright red fruit color and good retention of the bright fruit color throughout winter. It is a slow-growing, deciduous, suckering shrub with an upright rounded habit. Lustrous dark green leaves (to 3-5” long). Relatively inconspicuous whitish flowers appear in the leaf axils in late spring. Flowers, if properly pollinated, give way to a profuse crop of bright red berries (3/8” diameter) in fall. Berries are quite showy and will persist throughout the winter (hence the common name) often to early spring. Berries provide considerable impact and interest to the winter landscape. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal (Steyer Award) in 1995.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. Occasional problems include leaf spots and powdery mildew. Susceptible to chlorosis in high pH (alkaline) soils.

Uses:

Excellent year round interest, highlighted by the showy display of red berries in winter. Mass or group in shrub borders and foundations. Hedge. Excellent shrub for moist soils in low spots or along streams and ponds.