Winterberry

Have you noticed the lovely red berries on some new shrubs next to the upper parking lot? The plant is called Winterberry, and here is some information about it:

• Blooms: April – May

• Berries: September – November (Red berry on female plant only)

• Height: 3 – 10 feet, globular

• Light: Full sun to full shade (That’s a pretty versatile plant!)

• Soil / Habitat: Swamps, bogs; occasionally in moderate upland forests: tolerates poor drainage

• Leaves are not shaped with sharp teeth like other hollies and are not evergreen

• Need male and female plants to produce fruit. (We have both – you can easily identify the females – they have the berries.)

• The berries are quite showy and will persist throughout the winter and often into early spring, providing considerable impact and interest to the winter landscape.

• Special value to honeybees

• Attracts butterflies and birds (food, cover and nesting)

• Larval host to Henry’s Elfin butterfly, which looks like this:

Let us know in the comments when you have seen the winterberry plants.