Ilex verticilata-Winterberry

Description

A common shrub of wetlands and poorly drained areas. I have a wonderful scrub-shrub/Black tupelo wetland in back of my house that is thickly forested with winter berry. It is a sanctuary for wildlife year round; a delightful chorus of bird song throughout the summer; chickadees and hares flit through the branches above and below in the winter. It seems to be an important anchor species, certainly a dominant one. It shares ground with high bush blueberry, chokeberry, mountain holly, male berry, and shad bush. I have always looked to Mother Nature for guidance; here she shows us the many companion plants that work well together, we can use this as a template to guide our efforts in our yards. During the growing season, this is not a very showy species. In the winter it lights up like a neon light, those bright red berries burning bright in the otherwise dull landscape. Dainty flowers are barely noticeable, but they are to bees and other pollinators who show up in surprising numbers. Male and female plants. Since this species is grown for the berries, many varieties of this plant are geared towards production of known males and females.

12″-15″ high, 2 gallon pot size; $24 each (unsexed).