Winterberry Is a Fall Gem for the Pacific Northwest Garden

This fabulous shrub has stunning berries, which make it a great end-of-season focal point

Fall brings out my desire to “ impart the out-of-doors in . ” Collectingberries , seedpod , and dried blossom is a love I apportion with many gardeners . Using these to expose in the house helps us to call back the beautiful days of summertime . Harvestingthese things give a feeling of satisfaction of what we , as gardeners , have grown over the time of year . But there are a surprising number of fabulous fall plant that we do n’t normally see growing here in thePacific Northwest . One shrub that I rarely see in gardens here iswinterberry(Ilexverticillataand cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) .

Winterberry is a natural match for Pacific Northwest climates

That Ilex decidua is n’t get word more often in the Pacific Northwest is baffling , given how easygoing it is to grow in our clime . This shrub actually enjoy wet territory , so works winterberries in marshes , along streams , or in riparian areas as a cracking alternative to the usual suspects for those domain . winterberry can also be planted in unconstipated garden beds if you give each bush way to stretch out out . Growing to 8 feet mellow and all-inclusive , it can act as a hedgerow or barrier because it has a thick branching bodily structure . This is a deciduous plant life with green oval leaves ; the flowers are insignificant , but just wait until the fall when they transition to fruit . Winterberry thrive in full sun to partial shade .

Three winterberry varieties to grow in the Pacific Northwest

Berry Poppins®winterberry

stem of winterberry yield are often find for sale in autumn at local florists or grocery memory board . But despite this plant life being easy to mature , you ’d be hard - push to discover it in most landscapes in our corner of the country . While search in some specialty nurseries this bound and summer , I saw a few Berry Poppins ® Ilex decidua ( I. verticillata‘FARROWBPOP ’ ) for sale . This is a lovely variety with brilliant cherry-red berries , the typical yield color of most possum haw in the swap .

Berry Heavy®Gold

Sadly , I have not seen the young gold variety of Ilex decidua during my plant - shopping trips . Berry Heavy ® Gold ( I. verticillata‘Roberta Case ’ ) was engender to grow lots of undimmed gold berries . This specie set in volume is an impressive sight , seeable from great distances . In my garden , Berry Heavy ® Gold unremarkably fruits in October through November . cut of meat branches of the Berry can last through Christmas , so you could use them in decorative show .

Mr. Poppins ensures winterberries’ berries

Berry Heavy ® Gold and Berry Poppins ® are distaff plants . To produce berries , you ’ll need a manly industrial plant to pollenate the female . One male plant , like Mr. Poppins ® (I. verticillata‘FARROWMRP ’ ) , will cross-pollinate up to five female plant life .

Additional tips for growing winterberries

A nursery in my area was capable to special order a few choice winterberries for me two year ago . There were a few berried outgrowth last year , and this year they look a lot fuller . Note : You should n’t prune these shrubs , unless it ’s to harvest the long stem of beautiful Chuck Berry for display . Pruning will minify fruit production .

I have my winterberries planted as a backdrop to a segment of my ornamental grass garden . As the grass start to lose their color and fade out , the winterberries pace up to put on a mythic show in late fall and early winter . possum haw is a industrial plant that no Pacific Northwest garden should be without .

Susan Calhoun is the owner of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge Island , Washington .

photograph : courtesy of Proven Winners Color Choice

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winterberries in Pacific Northwest

Whether you choose a variety with red or yellow fruit, you won’t be disappointed by the show that winterberries put on in the fall. No Pacific Northwest garden is complete without one of these low-care shrubs.

Berry Poppins winterberry

With one of the heavy fruit sets from a winterberry variety, Berry Poppins®is a variety to put on your shopping list this fall.

Heavy Berry Gold winterberry

With fruit that is a luminous yellow-orange, Berry Heavy®Gold is an unusual sight in the world of winterberries.

Branches of winterberry in a vase on a table

Branches of winterberry harvested in early winter will last inside, in a vase or misted regularly, through the Christmas season. The gold berries make especially eye-catching décor.

Male winterberry plant foliage