Winterberry Flowers Explained - How to Get Winterberries

When people see our winterberry hollies (Ilex verticillata), they’re immediately intrigued. It’s no wonder: these native shrubs are stunningly beautiful at the dreariest time of the year. Winterberry holly grows native over a huge swath of North America - eastern Canada all the way through the southern US and as far west as Texas - so it is very hardy (down to USDA zone 3) as well as very heat tolerant (through USDA zone 9). Unlike the classic “Christmas” holly, winterberry holly loses its leaves every autumn, which makes its crop of bright red or yellow berries even more striking. However, getting those berries is precisely why questions about this beautiful native shrub fill our inbox all year.
To learn more about winterberry holly check out our "Ultimate Guide to Winterberry Holly" here, www.provenwinn...
To see the winterberry holly we offer visit, www.mypwcolorc...
Have questions about this or another Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Shrub? We're here to help you be successful in the garden! Let us know in the comment section or visit www.provenwinn....

[@glyndwrgardens3318]

Stacy You are a great communicator and teacher Thank you

[@pwcolorchoice]

Thank you so much for the kind feedback!

[@rphjacobs9197]

Love this type of educational video!! I love to learn.... and if it’s learning about a gorgeous plant.. well... that’s even more exciting! 🥰😀❤️. Thank you so much ! Keep them coming 😍

[@pwcolorchoice]

Yay! We share the same excitment! :)

[@colsen4616]

Great video, Stacy! You have helped me so much the last couple of years.

[@pwcolorchoice]

Yay! So glad to hear that! :)

[@ginafriend1690]

Hi! I planted 1 Mr Poppins and 1 Berry Poppins this year, no room for more. I look forward to seeing next seasons display. I've learned to relax and don't expect from the start, and to let nature take its course! 😊🥰

[@pwcolorchoice]

Hey there! You've got the right attitude, patience definitely pays off when it comes to gardening! You'll need to keep us posted on how they do next winter :)

[@ginafriend1690]

@@pwcolorchoice Will do, if I see you post on again, so I CAN remember! 😁😊

[@pwcolorchoice]

@@ginafriend1690 Deal! :)

[@dragonflylover1211]

Very informative video-Thank you! Next question tho is-what about pruning or how far can you cut back to use as winter decor (or can you?)? Also are they easy to propagate? Thank you!🌱

[@pwcolorchoice]

Thank you for the kind feedback! Winterberry hollies bloom on old wood - in other words, they create their flower buds for the following year during late summer/autumn of the current year. That means if you prune in spring, you’ll be cutting off flower buds. Other plants that bloom on old wood are typically pruned immediately after they bloom. However, in this case, pruning after bloom would remove the developing fruit as well. So we recommend not pruning winterberry hollies, however if you are wanting to take some cuttings for arrangements, just be selective with which you remove so you won't be taking too many from the plant :)

[@Sydneyantonides]

The winterberry I've been looking at is all low to the ground shrub, are the plants at the end a specific variety as pruning is not recommended? I love the foliage being up off the ground, I suppose more tree like. Thank you for the great information!

[@pwcolorchoice]

The winterberries featured in this video, like Berry Poppins, are Ilex verticillata and pruning is not recommended, as it will affect either the berry display or future flower production. 🙂

[@peterhuang44]

Can Mr. Poppins pollinate Little Goblin Red? Thanks.

[@pwcolorchoice]

Yes! Both are in the early-blooming group so can pollinate one another. 😄

[@hamil10clem]

Thanks for this info., especially the note about early vs. late blooming winterberries! I have a further question: I'm able to get a Little Goblin Orange locally, and would really like to have it in my garden, but there are no Little Goblin Guys available. Is it possible to use Mr. Poppins as a male pollinator for Little Goblin Orange? Or will the poppins-goblin combo not work because of bloom times? Thanks for your help!

[@pwcolorchoice]

Thank you for the question! Mr. Poppins will work as a pollinator for Little Goblin Orange ☺ all of our winterberry varieties are early blooming so you are good to go!

[@hamil10clem]

@@pwcolorchoice Fantastic--thanks! Is it OK for the male to be around the corner of the house from the female for winterberries, so long as it's within 40ft? I'd love for them to go closer together, but space is an issue (always!). Thanks again.

[@pwcolorchoice]

@@hamil10clem Yes, that shouldn't be a problem as pollinators will still travel around the corner. However, you do want the plants to get similar sun exposure to ensure that they will be blooming at the same time. ☺

[@kaydorsey8931]

I was gifted a female winterberry holly bush (Dec. 2022). I obviously can't plant it until spring because I live in southern Ohio. It's in a 5 gallon container. Where should I keep it until spring? We had it outside, but brought it in the garage because temperature went well below zero. Thank you!

[@pwcolorchoice]

Yay! I'd recommend either putting it against a more protected wall on the side of your house where it isn't as susceptible to harsh wind or snow. You can also keep it in your garage (unheated) and just make sure to keep it watered :) Here is a helpful article on overwintering shrubs and perennials in containers, www.provenwinners.com/overwintering-perennials-shrubs

[@holdthelight6833]

Helpful! Thank you!!!!

[@pwcolorchoice]

Glad that you liked it! Thank you for the feedback :)

[@carmenzamikell6231]

I planted 3 females and 1 male in late fall 2023. I'm in zone 7, and don't know if they are dormant or dead. How can I tell? Thank you

[@pwcolorchoice]

You can follow along the steps in this video to tell if branches are dormant or dead, kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWHXeYmLf52gerM ☺

[@rebeccacichocki2499]

I'm having the hardest time finding information on what varieties are male in the inkberry holly category. Does proven winners have any of these? Or other companies? I'd love some dark berries on a small evergreen inkberry but can't find anything advertised as male.

[@pwcolorchoice]

At present, there are no known male cultivars of inkberry holly on the market. If you can find seed-grown plants and can purchase them when they are in bloom, you might have a chance at finding one. We are working on finding a male with the same qualities as Gem Box and Strongbox, but nothing is available at the moment

[@barb8562]

I’m not seeing the link for some reason

[@pwcolorchoice]

Do you mean the link to our Ultimate Guide on Winterberry Holly? If so here is that one, www.provenwinners.com/learn/finding-right-plant/ultimate-guide-winterberry-holly

[@dianefinkle]

@@pwcolorchoice

[@robrich8294]

Can you eat these berries?

[@pwcolorchoice]

No, these berries are poisonous to humans.