Description
Ilex (Winterberry) AI-luyhks
Winterberry is a deciduous holly that is notable for its bright red berries that hang on well into winter. Besides adding color to the landscape, the berries are fed upon by many different types of birds in the winter when food can be scarce. It is a medium to large shrub typically reaching 6 to 10 feet tall, occasionally larger. It spreads slowly by root suckering.
Winterberry Holly prefers full sun to part shade and mesic to wet soils. It is a great plant for lake, pond or marsh edges. It also grows in swamps and at the edges of upland forests where the water table approaches the surface. In the home landscape it can be maintained in mesic, loamy soils as well as wet sites. It is best to avoid pruning winterberry hollies – pruning at any time of the year will impact the number of flowers and the quantity of fruit that the plant sets. Little pruning should be required, though very old branches can be removed in early spring if they are no longer producing vigorous growth.