Given its common name, this seems like an odd plant to be featuring in April! But winterberry is an extremely beneficial plant for honeybees and other pollinators, providing both nectar and pollen in late spring to early summer.

Ilex verticillata, or Winterberry, is a slow growing native deciduous holly. The common name refers to the red berries that mature in the fall, providing winter color in the garden and food for birds and small mammals. To produce berries, the plant must be properly cross-pollinated with a male and a female plant. You need at least one male plant for every 10 females, roughly; and these the pollinator plants should be within a reasonable distance of each other (less than 50 feet away or so).

But this is the time of year for the (itty bitty) flowers! Winterberry flowers are bee-pollinated, meaning bees and other insects help transfer pollen from male to female flowers. The almost inconspicuous greenish-white flowers provide nectar and pollen, which are essential food sources for native bees, honeybees, and other pollinators.

Winterberry is an excellent hedge with year-round visual interest. It works well in a variety of soils, but thrives in moist, acidic soils. It is tolerant of shaping, but keep in mind that the flowers appear on new growth so prune in early spring before new growth arrives to still provide for the bees!

Currently available at Painters:

Winterberry 'Southern Gentleman'

Ilex verticillata 'Southern Gentleman'

• NATIVAR deciduous shrub (z3-9) part-full sun

• 6-10' tall and wide

• Ideal background shrub; thrives in moist, acidic soil, tolerant of wet, boggy conditions

• Chief male pollinator for female varieties (e.g., Sparkleberry and Winter Red); plant 1 male for every 10 females

Winterberry 'Sparkleberry'

Ilex serrata x verticillata 'Sparkleberry'

• Deciduous shrub (z5-9) full sun-part shade

• 6-10' tall and wide

• Hybrid female cultivar with dense, heavy fruiting

• Requires a male for berry production (e.g., Southern Gentleman)

• Foliage turns yellow-bronze in fall, dazzling winter berries feed the birds

• Resistant to deer and fire