# winterberry holly (*Ilex verticillata*) Winterberry holly is a beautiful shrub that has bright red berries in winter. It grows in wet areas and is loved by birds who eat its berries during the cold months. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![winterberry holly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/American_Winterberry_Ilex_verticillata_'Winter_Red'_Cluster_3264px.jpg&width=800) Photo: Photo (c)2007 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_Winterberry_Ilex_verticillata_'Winter_Red'_Cluster_3264px.jpg) ## Appearance The winterberry holly is a unique holly that loses its leaves in autumn, revealing stems covered in incredibly bright red, orange, or sometimes yellow berries. These striking berries remain on the bare branches throughout winter, creating a vibrant display against snow. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Aquifoliales - **Family:** Aquifoliaceae - **Genus:** Ilex ## Interesting facts - Its berries can stay attached to branches all winter, even through heavy snow! - Many birds wait for freezing weather to eat the berries, making them taste sweeter! - Only the 'girl' winterberry plants make the super colorful berries you see! - Unlike most hollies, this one drops its leaves, showing off its dazzling fruit. ## Special abilities - **Winter Treasure Chest:** Winterberry holly can drop all its leaves, making its brilliant red berries stand out, providing a crucial winter food source for birds when other food is scarce. - **Gender Power-Up:** Winterberry holly has separate male and female plants; only the female plants produce the showy berries after a male plant pollinates them. - **Wetland Survivor:** Winterberry holly can thrive in wet, swampy soils where many other plants struggle, thanks to its specialized root system. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 180-450 cm - **Spread:** 180-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.6 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Eats berries for winter energy. - **Eaten by:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — Feeds on abundant winter berries. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits small flowers for nectar. - **Shelter:** [Northern Cardinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-cardinal) (*Cardinalis cardinalis*) — Uses dense branches for nesting. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Cold Hardy](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cold-hardy): Cold hardy plants are able to withstand low temperatures and freezing conditions without significant damage. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not eat the berries, as they can make you feel sick. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify winterberry holly? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is winterberry holly? 180-450 cm ### How wide does winterberry holly spread? 180-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on winterberry holly? 0.3-0.6 cm ### When does winterberry holly bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is winterberry holly edible? No ### Is winterberry holly toxic? Mild ### What is winterberry holly's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Carriage Paths, Bridges and Gatehouses](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carriage-paths-bridges-and-gatehouses) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Mt. Cuba Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mt-cuba-center) — Delaware, US · Botanical Garden - [Quehanna Wild Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quehanna-wild-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve - [Assinins](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/assinins) — Michigan, US · Neighborhood - [Blydenburgh Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blydenburgh-park-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadmoor-wildlife-sanctuary) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see winterberry holly](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/winterberry-holly) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Winterberry Holly: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/winterberry-holly)