When gardening in the Midwest, it is truly a delight to discover plants that have saved their showier sides for the last months of the year. At this time especially, we welcome the graceful conifers, the rustling ornamental grasses, the broadleaf evergreens and all those other plants with interesting seed heads, seedpods, cones and berries that contribute to the more subtle beauty of the winter landscape. One plant whose shiny red berries sparkle in the snow is a deciduous holly, Ilex verticillata . Often called winterberry or coralberry, Ilex verticillata is the finest among the deciduous hollies for winter hardiness, berry display and pest and disease resistance.
Winterberries are at home in moist sites, with some even tolerating wetter conditions.
Full sun to part shade is best, with a soil pH on the acid side. Chicago gardeners can amend their alkaline soil with equal parts peat moss and pine bark to encourage better growth. Since the most ornamental feature of these plants is their berry display, try planting them in masses against an evergreen backdrop. For every five female plants, remember to plant one male plant to pollinate the female flowers for the best berry display. Suitable for a variety of landscaping styles, winterberry can grow between 6 to 10 feet, although the more compact cultivars generally remain under 5 feet, in height as well as width.