Ilex verticillata ‘Wildfire’ (Winterberry)

Ilex verticillata ‘Wildfire’ (Winterberry) is a wonderful shrub with excellent year-round interest. This deciduous holly produces abundant small, pure white flowers in late spring that are followed by a profusion of bright red berries in fall and winter. Extremely attractive, they enliven the winter landscape and often persist into early spring unless eaten by birds. The foliage consists of elliptic, toothed, glossy, dark green leaves. ‘Wildfire’ is a female plant and needs a male pollinator, such as ‘Jim Dandy’ to produce attractive red berries. A wonderful holly to add color and interest to the winter landscape and attract wildlife.

• Slow-growing, this deciduous shrub has an upright, rounded habit and grows up to 6-7 ft. tall (180-210 cm) and 8 ft. wide (240 cm).
• Full sun to part shade lover, this plant is best grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained, acidic soils. Tolerates poorly drained soils as well as wet boggy conditions. Does poorly in neutral to alkaline soils and often dies.
• Generally pest and disease free
• Mass in mixed shrub borders. Perfect as a specimen plant, hedges, or foundation plantings. Excellent shrub for wet soils, bog gardens, rain gardens, and along streams or ponds. The red-fruited branches make lovely home decorations
• It is best to avoid pruning winterberry hollies – pruning at any time of the year will impact the number of flowers and the quantity of fruit that the plant sets. Little pruning should be required, though very old branches can be removed in early spring if they are no longer producing vigorous growth.
• Native to Eastern North America