Winterberry holly

The Winterberry holly shrub is a hardy plant adapting well to both the dryer conditions, the heat, and the cold.winterberry produces copious amounts of bright red berries that really shine in the fall and winter landscape. It is a deciduous holly, which means it loses its leaves in fall, but this makes that vivid fruit even showier. The berries can also be cut for use in floral arrangements. To produce berries a male and female plant are both required - use Mr. Poppins.It is best to avoid pruning winterberry hollies, except to remove whole branches for arrangements and decorating. Regular maintenance pruning or cutting back will impact the number of flowers and the quantity of fruit that the plant sets. Little pruning should be required, though very old branches can be removed in early spring if they are no longer producing vigorous growth.

Plant

Winterberry holly is an amazing plant with a tremendous geographical range and a very diverse genetic expression. Native populations of Ilex verticillata stretch from Nova Scotia, south to Florida and west to Missouri. It can be found growing in low grounds, moist woods, swamps and occasionally in higher, drier soils. Though it is most commonly found in moist soils, it can also be grown quite successfully in average garden soils.This is an easy plant to grow and it has few serious insect or disease problems. As for its genetic variation, this plant can range in heights from 3 feet to 15 feet in the wild. The width of the plant is also variable. In wet sites, it can sucker to form a dense spreading thicket. In drier soil, it tends to form a tighter clump.

David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. He was in the nursery business for over a decade, working with a large variety of plants. David has been interviewed by numerous newspapers and national U.S. magazines, such as Woman's World and American Way.Winterberry holly will do well planted in a spot that boasts either full sun or partial shade. In order to guarantee ample flowering and fruiting, aim to plant the shrub somewhere that gets at least four hours of sunlight per day. (Source:ww.thespruce.com)