Overview
Uses: Winter interest, wet spots, rain gardens, mass plantings, hedges, and wildlife gardens.
Benefits: Large, bright gold berries crowd the bare stems from fall into winter, a warm change from the usual red winterberry. Grows in wet ground and heavy clay, and is rated to Zone 3.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Upright, Rounded — multi-stemmed and dense.
Mature Height: 6–8 feet
Mature Width: 6–8 feet
Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate
Summary
When the leaves drop in fall, this winterberry lights up with gold.
Winterberry is a deciduous holly native to the swamps and wet woods of eastern North America. Through summer it is a quiet, green shrub. The show starts once the leaves fall: every stem is packed with berries, and on Berry Heavy® Gold they are large and a clear, bright gold rather than red. The fruit holds on the branches well into winter, glowing against snow and dark evergreens, and the cut stems last for weeks in holiday arrangements.
The plant grows into a dense, upright, multi-stemmed shrub about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide. That size suits a loose hedge, a mass planting at the edge of a lawn, or a back-of-border spot where it can be seen from the house in winter.
It grows where many shrubs fail. Winterberry handles saturated soil, low spots that stay wet, and heavy clay, which makes it one of the best picks for rain gardens and pond edges. Birds come to the berries in late winter once other food runs low.
Care
Berry Heavy® Gold Winterberry Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. The heaviest berry set comes with at least four hours of direct sun.
Winterberry likes moist to wet, slightly acidic soil and grows in light or heavy ground, including clay. Keep it out of alkaline, high-pH soil, where the leaves can yellow.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season, and during dry spells after that. Established plants in damp sites rarely need extra water. Mulch helps hold soil moisture.
Feeding needs are light. A slow release fertilizer for acid-loving plants in early spring is plenty.
Berries form on the flowers made on last year’s wood, so avoid routine shearing. In early spring, remove a few of the oldest stems at the base to keep the plant vigorous. Cutting branches for winter arrangements is a good way to prune.
Winterberry plants are either female or male, and only females carry berries. Berry Heavy® Gold is a female. Plant one male winterberry, such as Mr. Poppins®, within about 50 feet for every five females so the flowers are pollinated.
Size
What Size is the Berry Heavy® Gold Winterberry for Sale Online?
Our Berry Heavy® Gold Winterberry ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Berry Heavy® Gold Winterberry Grow?
Expect about 6 to 8 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide at maturity. For a hedge or mass planting, space plants about 5 feet apart.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Berry Heavy® Gold Winterberry?
The botanical name is Ilex verticillata Berry Heavy® Gold ‘Roberta Case’. Browse more Proven Winners® plants.
What are some common names for this plant?
It is sold as winterberry or winterberry holly, and is also called black alder.
Do I need a male plant for berries?
Yes. Berry Heavy® Gold is a female and needs a male winterberry nearby to set fruit. One male such as Mr. Poppins®, planted within about 50 feet, pollinates up to five females. The male flowers at the same time and carries no berries of its own.
How is it different from Winter Gold winterberry?
Both carry gold fruit. Winter Gold has smaller, pale gold-orange berries that are often blushed pink. Berry Heavy® Gold was selected for larger, brighter gold berries in a heavier crop.
Is winterberry native?
Yes. Winterberry is native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland to Florida and west to Minnesota. Berry Heavy® Gold is a selection of the native species, often called a nativar. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
