Sow it Grows

Written by Director of Horticulture Les Parks

     Winterberry is not a difficult plant to grow, it thrives in our climate, and it is not typically bothered by pests or diseases. Even deer and rabbits tend to ignore them. They do well in full sun to partial shade, though too much shade will reduce flowering and consequently reduce fruiting. They will also do well in the wetter areas of your garden and don’t mind the poor drainage that is detrimental to so many other plants. Once they are established they can even take a bit of drought.

     There are several selections of winterberry available, including some with orange or yellow fruit for the non-traditionalist. The ultimate size of the plant varies by selection, and there are even some dwarf varieties available. The most important thing to consider when selecting winterberry varieties is pollination. Specific female plants must have a specific male plant for pollination. If the flowers on each sex are not open at the same time in spring, pollination will not occur, so use the chart below to play matchmaker. One male can pollinate many females as long as they are within 50’ of each other.

     Winterberry has a lot going for it. It is native; attracts pollinators; feeds the birds; it is easy to grow; and it is a beautiful addition to the landscape, especially in winter when we need bright color. On top of all that, you could also make a little money on the side from them. Just in time for the holidays, cut winterberry branches are sold at the florist for about $15-20 apiece! At that price, a few stems will more than pay for the cost of the plant, not that you should need any additional incentive to plant this holly like few others.

Winterberry Chart
Female Varieties	Size	Fruit	Pollinated by
Afterglow	3-6′ T&W	red orange	Jim Dandy
Aurantiaca	5′ T&W	orange-red aging to orange-yellow	Jim Dandy
Berry Heavy®	6-8′ T&W	large, bright orange red	Mr. Poppins® or Jim Dandy
Berry Heavy® Gold	6-8′ T&W	large, bright gold	Mr. Poppins® or Jim Dandy
Berry Nice®	6-8′ T x 3-4′ W	bright red	Jim Dandy
Berry Poppins®	3-4′ T*W	bright red	Mr. Poppins®
Bonfire (hybrid)	8-12′ T x 10-12′ W	masses of small red berries	Jim Dandy
Cacapon	5′ T&W or more	heavy fruiting, true red	Jim Dandy
Chrysocarpa	7′ T&W	naturally occurring yellow berries	Jim Dandy
Goldfinch	3-7′ T&W	gold	Jim Dandy
Harvest Red (hybrid)	10′ T x 15′ W	large, deep red	Raritan Chief
Little Goblin® Orange	3-4′ T&W	bright orange	Little Goblin® Guy
Little Goblin® Red	3-4′ T&W	bright red	Little Goblin® Guy
Oosterwijk	4-6′ x 6-8′	bright red	Southern Gentleman
Red Sprite	3-5′ T&W	dense clusters of bright red berries	Jim Dandy or Apollo
Shaver	5′ T&W	orange-red	Jim Dandy
Sparkleberry (hybrid)	12′ T&W	large, bright red	Apollo
Stoplight	8’T&W	deep red	Jim Dandy
Sunsplash	6-7′ T&W	orange-red fruit, variegated foliage	Jim Dandy
Winter Gold	7′ T&W	pinkish orange aging to yellow	Southern Gentleman
Winter Red	6-8′ T&W	abundant, bright red	Southern Gentleman, Apollo, Raritan Chief
Male Varieties	Size
Apollo (hybrid)	10-12′ T&W
Jim Dandy	3-6′ T x 4-8′ W
Little Goblin®	4′ T&W
Mr. Poppins®	4′ T&W
Raritan Chief (hybrid)	4-5′ T x 6-8′ W
Southern Gentleman	6-9′ T&W