Length of Flower: ¼ inch stalked greenish white flowers with 5-7 petals, in clusters.
Height of Plant: 6-15 feet.
Lifespan: A perennial upright shrub with multiple stems.
Range: Eastern North America from Nova Scotia, south to Florida and west to Missouri.
Habitat: Most commonly found growing in low swampy soil and damp thickets. Winterberry will also grow quite well in drier situations and is often used as an ornamental garden shrub.
Flowering Period: The flowers are dioecious (male flowers and female flowers borne on different plants), and bloom from May through August depending on latitude. Fruiting period is late summer into winter. The bright red berries persist throughout the winter and are eaten by a variety of birds and small mammals.
One of the deciduous hollies, Winterberry is often used as an ornamental shrub in gardens and around homes. When planting Winterberry it is advisable to purchase at least one male for every three to five female plants and to plant the male in close proximity. This will insure pollination and good berry production. Winterberry has lustrous green foliage in summer, and when the leaves drop in fall, a multitude of bright red berries remain on the shrub throughout the winter providing food for wildlife and a touch of color to enliven the coldest period of the year.
Winterberry Holly
