Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
12/26/02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Linda Naeve, Reiman Gardens, (515) 294-2710, lnaeve@iastate.edu
Jean McGuire, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-7033,
jmcguire@iastate.edu
Winterberry Adds Color to the Winter Landscape
By Linda Naeve
Extension Coordinator
Reiman Gardens
The unseasonably mild temperatures so far this winter have allowed us
to get out and enjoy the brisk, fresh air. A walk through the garden reveals
the remnants of last summer’s garden. Many plants continue to add
beauty and character to the garden long after a killing frost. Ornamental
grasses and the interesting colors and textures on trees trunks and shrub
stems provide a tranquil beauty to the garden. This week’s Reiman’s
Pick – common winterberry, Ilex verticillata – is a shrub
that adds a sparkle of color to the winter landscape.
Common winterberry is sometimes referred to as coralberry. It is a member
of the holly family, but does not have the evergreen, glossy, pointed
leaves like several other holly species. The leaves on common winterberry
are deciduous, glossy, narrow and elliptical in shape. As its name implies,
it is grown for its beautiful berries that persist into winter. Female
common winterberry plants produce clusters of quarter-inch, round, glossy
red berries. The berries appear to be glued directly onto the bare gray
stems, and remain on the plant until eaten by birds.
Plants in the holly family are dioecious. This means they produce male
and female plants. In order to have the attractive berries, a gardener
needs to plant both a male plant and female plant in close proximity.
Sometimes a nursery will graft a male bud onto a female plant to ensure
a good fruit set with a single specimen plant. Another way nurseries provide
both genders is by planting both male and female plants in the same container
as a single plant. Check the plant label or ask at the nursery where you
purchase the plant whether you will need a pollinator.
Standard-sized common winterberry shrubs grow up to 10 feet tall. The
best cultivars are those that exhibit heavy fruiting and good fruit retention,
such as ‘Winter Red.’ According to Dr. Michael Dirr, woody ornamental
plant expert, Winter Red“ is one of the best introductions and is
widely available. If a plant that is 10 feet tall and wide is too large
for your landscape, there are compact winterberry cultivars on the market,
such as ‘Red Sprite,’ which only grows three to five feet tall.
Common winterberry is native from Canada to Florida to Minnesota and
Missouri. It is one of the hardiest holly species, withstanding temperatures
down to 30 degrees below zero. Although it will grow in partial shade,
fruit set is heavier in full sun.
Common winterberry is native to swampy sites, but will tolerate wet or
dry soils. Like evergreen hollies, it requires acidic soil with a pH of
4.5 to 5.5. The leaves become yellow and chlorotic and the plants don’t
grow well in high pH soil. In order to grow well in most Iowa soils, the
soil in the planting area will need to be amended with peat moss to reduce
the pH. This can be done at planting time by digging a hole twice as large
as needed for the plant and using a backfill of 50 percent peat and 50
percent original soil. Next, mulch around the plant with a two-inch layer
of peat moss.
Stems of common winterberry can be cut and brought indoors. They are long lasting and beautiful in vases for holiday decorations. On a calm, sunny day this winter, wander through the 14 acres at Reiman Gardens to see beautiful trees, shrubs and grasses in the winter.
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