Description
Winterberry – Male (Ilex verticillata) is the essential pollinator for female winterberry plants, ensuring a vibrant berry display in the fall and winter months. Though this deciduous shrub doesn't bear fruit itself, it produces inconspicuous green flowers in spring that provide the pollen needed to support up to five nearby female winterberries. With its upright, colony-forming habit and dense, multi-stemmed structure, this shrub offers a practical and low-maintenance solution for naturalized landscapes.
Perfect for wet, acidic soils and tolerant of part shade, the male Winterberry thrives in problem areas, rain gardens, or wildlife-friendly spaces throughout Massachusetts and Zones 3–7. While not especially showy, it can be easily tucked out of sight behind more ornamental plantings, allowing female winterberries to take center stage while still receiving the pollination support they need.
Each plant comes in a #2 (2 gallon) growers container. The image shown represents an example of what you may receive. Please note that the height, shape, and fullness of each plant may vary due to natural growth patterns. Rest assured, we will select the healthiest and most vibrant plant for you.
Plant Specs:
Botanical Name: Ilex verticillata
Light: full sun – part shade
Watering: around an inch per week
Soil: moist, rich, acidic soil
Zone: 3 – 7
Plant Shape: oval
Plant Type: multi-stemmed deciduous shrub
Mature Size: height (8') , width (8')
Blooming Season: n/a
Growth Rate: slow
Pollination: pollinator
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