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). BERRY NICE 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’ or I. verticillata ‘Jim Dandy’) will be sufficient for pollinating 9-10 BERRY NICE plants. Prune to shape in early spring just before new growth appears.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
‘Spriber’, sold in commerce under the trade name of BERRY NICE, is a female winterberry cultivar that typically matures to 6-8’ tall and as wide. Among winterberry cultivars, it is noted for dense heavy fruiting of dark red fruit, with good retention of the fruit through 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.
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.
© Missouri Botanical
Garden, 2001-2010
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