Berry Heavy® Winterberry Holly (Ilex)
Shrub
- Bare branches display tons of closely-packed bright red berries in winter.
- Native shrub that is durable & easy to grow!
- Tiny white flowers in late spring attract pollinators, berries attract birds.
- For berries to develop, you must plant a male Mr. Poppins winterberry holly.
- Zones 3-9, sun/part sun, 8′ tall x 8′ wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
A note about winterberry holly pollination: Winterberry holly plants are either male or female, and both a male and female plant need to be present in order for fruit to form on the female. Berry Heavy is a female variety, so you will need to purchase the male variety, Mr. Poppins winterberry holly, as well. Only the female plants will develop berries, but one male will pollinate up to five females. Wondering how far apart you can plant the male and female holly plants? Anywhere within about 50’ of each other – the distance you can expect a pollinator to fly on a single foraging trip – is suitable.
Details
Common name: Winterberry holly
Zone: 3-9
Sun exposure: Full sun (6+ hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 6-8' tall and wide
Flower color: White flowers develop into green, then red, berries
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Fall-winter
Bloom time: Spring
Features: Winter interest, rabbit resistant, Proven Winners, native, heat tolerant, fall color, deer resistant, cold tolerant, best for beginners
Uses: Hedge, native plant gardens, wildlife gardens, specimen (be sure to pair with a male plant).
How to Grow
Light: Full sun (6+ hrs/day) to part sun (4-6 hrs/day).
Water: Average to abundant (as long as soil is well-drained).
Space: 2-3' apart, depending on landscape role.
Fertilizing: If desired, fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer. A second application may be made in late spring/early summer as well.
Winterizing: 2-3" of shredded bark mulch is important to protect the shallow roots and minimize water loss. Do not allow plants to enter winter "thirsty"; dry soil during cold, windy weather is the main cause of leaf browning or even the plant dying.
Maintenance: Female winterberry hollies cannot be pruned any time of the year without impacting flowering and thereby, fruiting, so it's best to avoid pruning them altogether except to remove any dead wood and once mature, to remove one or two of the oldest stems each year to encourage new and vigorous growth..
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.