Winterberry Holly

Ilex verticillata

$97³⁰ $113⁰⁵

Out of stock

Enter your ZIP code to check shipping availability.

Find your Growing Zone

Plant Size

Product variants

Plant Sentry™

Delivery and Shipping

Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Profile & Growing Essentials

Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts pollinators, Cold hardy, Container Friendly, Deer-resistant, Fall Color/Interest, Full Sun, Hedge/Screen, Low Maintenance, Native, Non-invasive, Ornamental Berries/Fruit, Shade Tolerant, and Wet Soils

Specifications

Botanical Name

Ilex verticillata
Height

5-12 ft
Width

3-10 ft
Growing Zones

3-9
Sunlight
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Growth Rate

Moderate
Flower Color
- Green
Leaf Color
- Green
- Yellow
Fall Color

Gold
Native

Yes
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Pollinator Required

Yes
Bloom Period

Late Spring

Planting & Care Instructions

Where to Plant

Winterberry Holly thrives in a spot that mimics its native wetland habitat, though it is quite flexible. Plant the female berry-producing plants near a suitable male pollinator to ensure the dazzling winter display; one male can service up to ten females within a fifty-foot radius.

Sunlight: Aim for at least six hours of direct sun daily (full sun) to guarantee the densest and brightest berry set. While partial shade is acceptable, you will see a noticeable tradeoff, resulting in fewer berries and a much thinner winter display.
Soil: This Holly loves moist to wet, slightly acidic soil, making it perfect for rain gardens or naturally soggy spots. If your soil is sandy, work in copious amounts of peat moss or well-aged compost to help retain moisture; for heavy clay, incorporate coarse material and plant it slightly high to aid in drainage.

Watering Requirements

For the first year after planting, keep the soil consistently moist to encourage deep root establishment. Once mature, Winterberry is notably adaptable and can handle some dry periods better than many shrubs, though it performs best with regular moisture. If watering becomes inconsistent, especially during summer dry spells, the plant may drop its leaves prematurely, which can directly impact the health and size of next year's berry production.

Pruning Tips

Winterberry Holly produces its decorative berries on old wood, meaning the branches that grew the previous season are the ones that will fruit. The best time for shaping or size control is in late winter or early spring before the buds begin to swell. Use a technique called renewal pruning, where you remove up to one-third of the oldest, thickest canes right down to the ground; this simple method maintains the shrub's youthful vigor and stimulates new wood that will yield spectacular berry crops in the following year.

Fertilizer Needs

A light annual feeding in early spring, just as the buds begin to swell, will keep your holly performing optimally. Use a granular, slow-release fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants, such as a rhododendron or azalea blend. What to avoid: Skip the high-nitrogen fertilizers and cease all feeding after mid-summer; fertilizing late in the season encourages soft, late-cycle growth that will not harden off properly and is highly susceptible to damaging winter kill.

Free shipping

On all orders over $199
Plant Sentry™

Compliant guaranteed
Easy returns

Hassle free returns policy
Live Chat

Talk to a real person

Growing Zones 3-9

Find Your Growing Zone!

A wonderfully adaptable native Holly with vivid late-season berries, the Winterberry Bush (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous Holly with loads of perks for your biodiversity and landscape! The glossy green leaves are dark green and pointed leaves lack the spines of some Hollies.

A native plant to eastern North American wetlands, commonly found in swamps and damp woods and along streams and ponds, the Winterberry is well-known for its beautiful flowers in spring that pollinators adore! The biggest draw for these shrubs is the gorgeous display of beautiful red berries that simply burst from the bare branches each winter and call birds near and far!

Praised for its abundant berry production and rounded shape, both the male and female shrubs have gorgeous foliage and tiny white blossoms in the spring that pollinators adore! Please note that for berry production on female plants, you do need multiple shrubs planted in close proximity to ensure at least one male shrub for the female berry-producing shrubs.

The berries on female plants stand out once they lose the serrated, glossy leaves in the fall. Birds love the berries, so get ready for lots of feathered visitors. Bring some branches inside for holiday décor before the birds enjoy them all! Hardy and adaptable throughout USDA zones 3 to 9, Winterberry Holly grows variably to 5 - 10 feet in height and width.

Planting and Application:

The foliage of these deciduous Hollies fills in nicely, branching to the ground for full coverage. This is a perfect background or filler plant along a fence, or creating a natural summer hedge or screen! Use these showy plants as foundation borders and privacy anywhere in the sun or part shade without worry!

This is a great shrub for erosion control along creek beds and sloping areas. Any hard-to-mow hillside will transform into a brilliant display! Native Winterberry Holly will even be perfect in a Rain Garden to help filter water runoff from roofs and streets before it flows into storm drains.

The dense branching is shelter and cover for birds in addition to the feast of red berries on the female plants. And you’ll love snipping a few stems for winter container displays, wreaths, swags, and holiday floral displays!

Glossy Dark Green Deciduous Leaves
Male & Female Separate Shrubs
Tiny White Blooms Pollinators Adore
Bright Red Fall Berry Display on Female Plants
Fantastic Hedges, Screening, Backdrops, Wetland & 3-Season Interest

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Deciduous Holly bushes are wonderfully easy to grow and low-maintenance! Highly adaptable to various climates, they can handle some of the toughest challenges, including partial shade and wet soils. It even thrives in wet or boggy spots in your landscape! Doing best in full sun and well-drained soil, these slower-growing shrubs won’t take all your time to care for either! Prune after flowering in the spring, and you are done!

All plants establish faster and do best with the lifelong support of Nature Hills Root Booster added at the time of planting, and appreciate a 3-4 inch deep layer of mulch over the entire root system. Provide new plants with regular moisture in their first year, and then you only need to add supplemental moisture during drought and the drier summer months.

Partial Shade & Full Shade
Almost Any Well-Drained Soil
Wide Range of Moisture Adaptability
Prune After Flowering
Low-Maintenance & Deer Resistant

Featuring prolific berries and glossy foliage, the wonderful wetland native Winterberry Holly Bush will look absolutely stunning in your landscape! Order yours today from NatureHills.com to enjoy ornamental winter décor and easy care resilience!

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

Winterberry Holly

Ilex verticillata

Plant Sentry™

Delivery and Shipping

Specifications