Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Winterberry.
Ilex verticillata
Pronounced EYE-lex ver-ti-si-LAY-tuh
Also known as American winterberry, Black Alder, Common Winterberry, Michigan holly, Virginia Winterberry, Winterberry, black holly, black-alder
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Winterberry is a wonderful deciduous holly that really shines in the landscape during the colder months. It produces bright red berries that stay on the bare branches well into winter. You will need both male and female plants to ensure you get those beautiful berries.
At a glance
- Care level
- Easy
- Plant type
- Deciduous shrub
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Indoor light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Every 3 to 7 days
- Mature size
- 6 to 10 feet
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Hardiness
- USDA 3 to 9
- Bloom time
- Late spring to early summer
Care
Plant this shrub in moist, acidic soil to keep it happy. Watch for yellowing leaves which often signal that the soil pH is too high. Prune it back in late winter to keep the shape tidy and encourage more berries.
- Watering
- Keep the soil consistently moist, as this plant does not tolerate drying out.
- Feeding
- Apply a balanced, acid-loving fertilizer once in early spring before new growth starts.
- Pruning
- Prune in late winter while the plant is dormant to maintain its shape.
- Repotting
- If grown in a container, move it to a larger pot every few years when it becomes root bound.
- Soil
- Moist, acidic, organic rich soil
- Soil pH
- Acidic
- Temperature
- -35 to 30°C
- Humidity
- 40 to 70%
- Drought tolerance
- Low
- Lifespan
- Perennial, typically 20 to 50 years
- Deer and rabbits
- Moderate
Signs it needs repotting
- Roots growing out of drainage holes
- Stunted growth despite regular watering
- Soil drying out too quickly
Safety
- People
- All parts of the plant are considered mildly toxic if consumed in large quantities.
- Pets
- The berries can be toxic to cats and dogs if ingested in large quantities.
- Children
- The bright red berries are attractive to children and pose a choking and ingestion risk.
- Contact allergens
- The foliage can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
- Airborne allergens
- There is no significant risk of airborne allergens from this plant.
- Edibility
- The berries are mildly toxic to humans if ingested and can cause nausea or vomiting.
How to identify it
- Deciduous shrub with bare winter branches
- Bright red berries in clusters
- Simple, alternate, serrated green leaves
- Small white spring flowers
- Height
- 1.8 to 3.6m
- Spread
- 1.8 to 3.6m
- Leaves
- dark green, deciduous
- Flowers
- white, greenish white, 0.5 to 1cm
- Fruit
- bright red, Autumn to winter
Problems to watch for
- ChlorosisCommon
- Leaf SpotCommon
- Root RotUncommon
- Scale InsectsUncommon
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Growing it
- Propagation
- cuttings, seed
- When to plant
- spring, autumn
- Overwintering
- No special winter protection is needed as it is fully hardy. Simply ensure the soil does not dry out completely during dry winter spells.
- In containers
- It can grow in large containers, but it requires consistent moisture and is best suited for very large pots.
Softwood Cuttings
- Take 10cm cuttings in early summer.
- Remove lower leaves and dip in rooting hormone.
- Place in a moist, well draining medium.
- Keep humid until roots develop.
Group these with other moisture loving native shrubs to create a low maintenance bog garden that supports local bird populations.
Grows well with
- Red Osier Dogwood · They share similar moisture requirements and provide beautiful color contrast in winter.
- Sweet Pepperbush · This shrub also enjoys damp soil and provides fragrant summer blooms.
- Blue Flag Iris · It makes a lovely ground layer for the base of the shrub in wet garden spots.
Similar species
- Inkberry · It is an evergreen relative that also thrives in wet conditions.
- Possumhaw · Another deciduous holly that produces abundant red fruit.
Science
- Family
- Aquifoliaceae
- Genus
- Ilex
- Order
- Aquifoliales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Native range
- Eastern North America
- Conservation
- It is secure across its native range and not currently threatened.
It naturally colonizes wetlands and damp thickets where it provides essential winter forage for migratory birds.
- Value to wildlife
- nectar source, winter food for birds, nesting cover
- Pollinators
- bees, butterflies
- Uses
- ornamental shrub, winter interest, rain gardens, wildlife habitat
Through the year
Ecological indicators
- Salinity
- 1/9
- Soil reaction
- 4/9
- Light
- 6/9
- Temperature
- 5/9
- Moisture
- 8/9
- Nutrients
- 5/9
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Questions people ask
- Do I need a male plant?
- Yes, you need at least one male plant for every five to ten female plants to ensure fruit set.
- Can it grow in standing water?
- It is highly tolerant of wet feet and naturally grows in swamps and along pond edges.
Where the name comes from
The name Ilex is the ancient Latin name for holly, while verticillata refers to the whorled arrangement of the flowers or leaves.
Good to know
- Winterberry is a member of the holly family but lacks the classic spiny leaves.
- The berries often persist on bare branches well into the winter months.
- It thrives in wet, boggy soils where many other shrubs struggle.
- Birds like robins and bluebirds rely on the berries as a late winter food source.
Also in
Keep your winterberry growing
This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.
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This guide was generated with AI on and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.