Ilex verticillata
A Beacon in the Fall and Winter landscape
The plant world is filled with great varieties that somehow go unnoticed until one point in the year when they become a star so stunning that no one can take their eyes off of them. Ilex verticillata and its many selections is one of those plants. Variously known as Winterberry or Christmas Berry, this plant is a solid native plant with a wide growing range over the eastern United States and Canada. It’s tough, tolerant nature allows it grow and thrive in some precarious landscape spots including areas with some standing water, constantly moist soils and semi-shaded, wood edge areas.
It’s amazing how many Ilex verticillata are in our landscapes, either planted by man or by nature, and how much they recede into the background until September. Suddenly, 
bunches of green berries on female plants that went unnoticed throughout the summer begin to turn a brilliant red, demanding your attention! As its fall foliage turns yellow and drops off, these plants become even more insistent on attention until they are the unquestioned star of any area in which they reside. The berries and brilliance persist into early winter providing a remarkable show in the landscape when contrasted with its deep gray, shiny bark and early winter snowfall and, also, making branches of these plants a real favorite when it comes to holiday decorating.
Ilex verticillata and its many selections like ‘Red Sprite’, ‘Winter Red’, ‘Berry Heavy’, ‘Berry Nice’ and ‘Afterglow’ are easy to grow and hardy to Zone 4. Like all native plants, their great looks are augmented by their ability to provide habitat for native insect and animal critters, in fact, birds love Ilex verticillata for shelter and for its berries. This combination of looks and function make it perfect for mass planting along wooded borders or wet, stream areas. It will tolerate full sun but thrives in partial shade while even tolerating mostly shade areas. Most varieties, with the exception of the dwarf form, ‘Red Sprite’, will reach 6-10’ tall and wide at maturity. 
Remember, only female plants will get berries meaning they must have a male pollinator nearby to ensure berries. ‘Afterglow’, ‘Red Sprite’, ‘Berry Heavy’ and ‘Berry Nice’ are early bloomers and need the male selection ‘Jim Dandy’ for pollination while a late blooming selection like ‘Winter Red’ needs the male selection ‘Apollo’ to set berries.