Bold winter beauty from a standout flowering shrub
Winterberry Holly is a native deciduous holly we grow for unforgettable cold-season color, bright wildlife appeal, and dependable landscape performance. For gardeners searching for flowering shrubs that keep working long after summer fades, this shrub delivers a striking show of vivid red berries on bare branches. It is especially valuable in naturalized borders, wet areas, and rain gardens, and it is a smart pick for shoppers seeking deer resistant shrubs with real four-season character.
Key Features
- ✓ Brilliant bright red berries hold through winter, creating standout color until birds enjoy the fruit
- ✓ Native deciduous holly that supports birds, pollinators, butterflies, and other beneficial insects
- ✓ Thrives in moist sites and handles wet areas, rain gardens, and low spots better than many other shrubs
- ✓ Reaches nearly 10 feet tall and nearly 10 feet wide for a full, substantial landscape presence
- ✓ Bare-root plants arrive with slender, leafless branches and a developed root system, ready for planting
Details
| Common name | Winterberry Holly Bush |
| Botanical name | Ilex verticillata |
| Plant type | Native deciduous holly shrub |
| Mature height | Nearly 10 feet |
| Mature width | Nearly 10 feet |
| Berry color | Bright red |
| Flowering season | Spring |
| Flower description | Small, nectar-rich flowers |
| Berry season | Late summer through winter |
| Soil preference | Moist, slightly acidic soil |
| Site tolerance | Tolerates wet areas |
| Best landscape uses | Rain gardens, low spots, grouped shrub plantings, wildlife gardens |
| Wildlife value | Supports birds, honeybees, bumblebees, native solitary bees, butterflies, beetles, and beneficial wasps |
| Plant form on arrival | Bare-root shrub with slender, leafless branches and tangled brown roots |
| Seasonal appearance | Leaves drop in fall, exposing berry-covered stems for winter display |
Care Instructions
Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins so you can shape the plant cleanly and encourage strong branching. For the best performance, plant in moist, slightly acidic soil and keep the root zone from drying out while the shrub is establishing. One honest note: this is not an evergreen holly, so the leaves will drop in fall, but that leafless stage is exactly what makes the bright berries stand out so dramatically in winter.
Winterberry Holly Has Vibrant Red Berries in Winter
By late summer, the berries begin to develop, then deepen into a glowing red by fall and often remain well into winter. The effect is dramatic in the landscape: upright brown stems densely covered in glossy fruit that shines against snow, dormant beds, and muted seasonal backdrops. If you want one of the best flowering landscaping shrubs for long-lasting cold-weather color, Winterberry Holly earns its place.
Winterberry Holly Is one of the most sought after shrubs
We grow Ilex verticillata for gardeners who want a practical, eye-catching shrub with native value and strong garden performance. Planted in groups, it creates a fuller visual impact and highlights both its ornamental berries and ecological benefits. After its spring bloom, the berry display takes over in fall and continues into winter, bringing structure, movement, and vivid color when much of the garden has gone quiet.
Winterberry Holly Shrub Benefits for Wildlife and Rare Insects
Winterberry Holly does much more than brighten the yard. Its berries provide food for birds such as cedar waxwings, robins, and thrushes when natural food sources are limited. In spring, the small, nectar-rich flowers attract honeybees, bumblebees, and native solitary bees. The Henry's Elfin butterfly uses hollies as a host plant, while small beetles and beneficial wasps also depend on it for shelter and support. For gardeners who want beauty with purpose, this is one of the smartest native deer resistant shrubs to plant.
What your winterberry shrub will look like when you receive it
Your plant will arrive as a bare-root shrub with slender branches and an exposed brown root system. That dormant look is normal for nursery-grown bare-root stock and does not mean the plant is unhealthy. Once planted correctly, it becomes a dependable starting point for establishing a hardy, wildlife-friendly shrub with standout seasonal interest.
If you want bright winter berries, native habitat value, and a reliable shrub for naturalistic planting, our Winterberry Holly is a strong choice grown by TN Nursery, family-owned and trusted since 1959.
Frequently Asked Questions
▾What makes Winterberry Holly different from other flowering shrubs?
Winterberry Holly is a deciduous holly, so it drops its leaves in fall and then puts its bright red berries on full display along bare stems through winter. It also offers spring flowers and valuable support for birds and pollinators.
▾Where should I plant this deer resistant shrub?
Plant it outdoors in moist, slightly acidic soil where the root zone stays consistently moist. It performs especially well in rain gardens, low spots, grouped shrub plantings, and wildlife gardens.
▾What will my Winterberry Holly look like when it arrives?
It arrives as a bare-root shrub with slender, leafless branches and a visible brown root system. That dormant appearance is normal and helps the plant establish well once planted.
Exposure
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Height at Maturity
10–15 feet
Usage
Perfect for wildlife gardens, naturalized plantings, and adding bright winter color to landscapes.
Shipped As
Bare Root Shrubs
Ships
Ships Spring 2026
Planting Zones
Hardy in USDA Zones 5–9
