USDA Plants Database
NWF Native Gardening and Invasive Plants Guide
Winterberry
Ilex Verticillata (holly family)
A popular choice for landscaping, this shrub develops vibrant red berries in late fall, attracting many birds.
Native Range:
Eastern United States
Habit:
This deciduous shrub is showy in late fall and early winter, when its bright red berries attract a variety of birds.
Culture:
Winterberry holly tolerates both wet and dry conditions.
Leaves:
The toothed leaves are purple-tinged in spring and turn yellow in autumn.
Flowers:
Small pale flowers bloom in the spring after the leave emerge.
Fruit:
The winterberry's scarlet red berries, although poisonous to humans, are a welcome food source to small mammal and several dozen bird species. The berries remain on the branches until spring.
Size:
This shrub grows to a height of five to 15 feet, and a width of four to ten feet.
Where to find winterberry at the Zoo:
This shrub can be seen on Olmsted Walk near the elephant fountain and elephant yards.
Photo of winterberry with leaves: Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA SCS. 1989. Midwest wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. Midwest National Technical Center, Lincoln, NE.
