Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

winterberry

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Ilex verticillata

Family:

Aquifoliaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

to 10 ft tall by to 10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

red

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms spring. Fruits ripen in fall.

Noted For:

Showy Fruits

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

In wet places, it can be planted as a specimen plant for winter interest. When it loses its leaves in the fall, just the berries left on the stems create a striking display.

Considerations:

Availability:

Propagation:

Softwood cuttings started in spring. Seeds of most holly species require 2-3 years of dormancy before they will germinate.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Stays wet ---to--- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Organic

Soil pH:

acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds

Pollinated by bees.

Various bird species eat the fruit.

Native Habitats:

Floodplains, creek swamps.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Rarely grown in Florida.