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WINTERBERRY: THE OTHER HOLLY Everyone associates the winter holiday season with holly – evergreen, red-berried branches found in wreathes and garlands and mantel decorations. There are even songs written about this icon of seasonal festivities. But there is another holly that emerges from obscurity each fall in wetlands and gardens -- and in florist shops. Winterberry, or Ilex verticillata, is a deciduous holly, whose lack of winter leaves makes its vibrant berry display particularly stunning. Although winterberry perfectly describes this North American shrub, it is also known as black alder, false alder, and fever bush to reflect Native American usage (however, it is now thought to be toxic to humans). Found from Nova Scotia to Florida, and west to Missouri, this lesser-known holly grows in acidic swampy conditions, with suckers creating dense thickets. It is also an easy keeper in loamy garden soils, in full sun for best berry set, with few pest or disease problems. Ranging from three to 15 feet depending on cultivar, winterberry’s toothed leaves are generally dark green -- some glossy, others with a purple tint. Spring’s new growth can shade to burgundy red, and fall foliage often climaxes in yellow or even purple. The inconspicuous white flowers emerge in June or July, followed by light-green pea-size berries, ripening to pink in late summer, and gradually to a scarlet red garland strung all along the branches. For profuse berry displays in this dioecious species, a male winterberry should be introduced for every three to five female bushes, although a male plant of the common American holly can also act as a pollinator. And profuse fruiting is the point of this otherwise unassuming plant. Tucked into holiday arrangements, a branch laden with sparkling red berries radiates cheer. Wildlife too find the berries attractive, but only after sweeter treats like fruiting viburnum are exhausted. Thus, lucky for us humans, the winterberry usually holds its berries through the holiday season, and sometimes an orb or two even hang on for early-returning robins. Winterberry choices for the gardener are numerous. ‘Winter Red’ is the most popular variety for cutting, with its multi-stemmed erect habit, growing to nine feet. ‘Sparkleberry,’ an introduction by the National Arboretum, is another great cultivar for berry displays. If a shorter version is desired, try ‘Red Sprite,’ at three to five feet – perfect for low hedges or mass plantings. And for variety, there’s ‘Winter Gold,’ with its pinkish-orange berries on an eight-foot shrub. Two favorites from Michigan were grown from wildlings – ‘Berry Nice’ and ‘Berry Heavy’ – and as the cute names imply, they too are prolific producers. For a first-hand look at this festive shrub, visit the Country Cultivator’s garden on the east side of Benton’s Community Center. For rural folk in northeast Pennsylvania, this may indeed be the winter landscape plant of choice, as grazing deer and drying winds seem to decimate the “other” American holly. But whatever your preference in the winter landscape, please do have a “Holly Jolly Christmas!” Kathleen Arcuri December 2009 |
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Kathy’s Garden Writing |