Ilex Winter Red

Winter Red Winterberry is a slow-growing upright deciduous shrub with a rounded habit and luscious dark green foliage.  As a female cultivar, Winter Red produces heavy amounts of large glossy bright red berries if pollinated that can persist all the way to spring.  Best planted in moist, slightly acidic well-drained soils.  Hollies are dioecious and need both male and female plants to produce fruit.   Ilex verticillata is a native food source for several animals and pollinators, and acts as a host for various moths and the Henry's Elfin Butterfly.  While the wildlife enjoys the berries they are toxic to humans. Type:  Shrub Origins: Eastern N. America; north GA Native Height:  6' - 8' Spread:  6’ - 8' Spacing:  7’ USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 - 9 Culture:  Full Sun, Part Sun Bloom Color:  White Season of Interest:   Spring, Fall, Year-Round MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Low Maintenance.  Water regularly.   Well-drained soils essential.   Potential issues include mites, scale, leaf spot, rot, and mildew.  Susceptible to leaf scorch or drop if not protected from afternoon sun in hotter climates. LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Wildlife Gardens, Privacy Screen, Foundation Plantings, Hedges, and Containers. COMPANION PLANTS: Magnolia, Peony, Blueberry IMAGES: Photo by David J. Stang, Ilex verticillata Winter Red 9zz, CC BY-SA 4.0 *As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown