Ilex verticillata (Winterberry Holly) Unity Grown

Ilex verticillata, commonly known as winterberry holly, is a deciduous holly variety without the sharp-spined leaves of species like American holly, but with the same, showy red berries. . From spring into the summer, winterberry holly produces small, lightly fragrant flowers that attract many kinds of pollinators. As a dioecious plant, male and female flowers are present on different plants, and to produce the namesake winterberries, both male and female plants have to both be present in a site for successful pollination; you can match a female winterberry holly with a male pollinator cultivar like 'Jim Dandy' or 'Southern Gentleman' by planting one male to around 5-10 females within about a 50' radius. 

Typically reaching 8-10' tall, though occasionally pushing 15-20', winterberry holly is considered a large, suckering shrub, and has an upright growth habit with a vase-like or globular shape and a spread of 3-12'. Overall a very versatile plant, Ilex verticillata can grow in full sun to full shade, and in wet, acidic soil, even with standing water. Winterberry holly is resistant to salt, seasonal flooding, erosion, and deer damage, and can be used in rain and pollinator gardens, as well as naturalized areas or woodland gardens. Winterberry holly is an attractive addition to any landscape, and has the ecological appeal to match.