ILEX Verticillata

ILEX verticillata (Winterberry, Black Alder, Michigan Holly)

		ILEX verticillata ‘Afterglow’  6’  (Zone4)(Simpson selection and introduction) Northern type, more compact, many stemmed, medium height with smaller glossy leaves.  Large fruit is orange-red to orange.  Blooms early.  An excellent glossy leaved, low growing shrub.  Pollinator: Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata ‘Aurantiaca’  6’  (Zone 4)Northern type dwarf, distinctive for fruits that change from red to an attractive golden orange.  “Aurantiaca” (a-RON’-ti-A-kah) is a Latin adjective meaning orange in color. Pollinator:  Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata x serrata ‘Bonfire’  15’  (Zone 5)(Simpson selection and introduction)  A superior selection with masses of small red fruits, Coloring earlier in the fall while the leaves are still green.  Makes a tall shrub to 15’, with Slender branches that droop with the weight of its fruit.  Small plants fruit heavily. Pollinators:  Apollo and Southern Gentleman.
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Cacapon’  7’  (Zone 4)Slower growing type similar to Afterglow, somewhat more upright.  Very heavy fruiting with smaller, true red fruit.  A native selection of Dr. O.M. Neal, University of West Virginia.  The name “Cacapon” (kah-KAY’-pon) is a Native American word referring to “healing waters”. Pollinator: Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Chrysocarpa’  6’- 8’  (Zone 4) Bears bright yellow, round fruit.  Slower growing.  Pollinator:  Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Earlibright’  “Earlybright”5’  (Zone 3) This is a northern type holly selected by Polly Hill on Martha’s Vineyard.  Fruit is orange-red and colors early. Pollinator:  Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Golden Verboom’ Female  4’  (Zone 3)ILEX verticillata  ‘Golden Verboom’  MaleNOTE:  Unless one has a wide variety of Ilex verticillata males on hand, ‘Golden Verboom’ females require their own ‘Golden Verboom’ males to assure pollination. Selected at Verboom Nursery in Holland for use specifically as cut branch, this cultivar produces bountiful masses of bright, large, truly yellow fruit which last into winter. An excellent landscape cultivar either grouped or contrasted with red fruited cultivars.
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Maryland Beauty’  6’  (Zone 4) An excellent dwarf type with deep green foliage in the summer. Large brilliant red, closely set, fruits in the fall.  Pollinator:  Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Oosterwijk’  4-6’  (Zone 4) Newer selection from the Netherlands.  Bright red fruit.  A favorite of the European cut flower industry.  Pollinator:  Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Red Sprite’  4’-6’  (Zone 4)The most dwarf of winterberries, with the largest fruit.  Slow growing, broader than tall, bright red abundant fruits to ½” on very short stems.  Leaves are broad, oval and small.  (This plant has been offered for years as ‘Nana’ before being given a registered name.)  Pollinators:  Apollo and Jim Dandy.
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Shaver’  6’  (Zone 4) Shaver is one of the slower-growing northern types of winterberry.  It has large, somewhat flattened fruits which appear in clumps.  The smooth leaves are born on sturdy twigs.  The plant form is rather upright rounded.  Pollinator:  Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Shortcake’  5’  (Zone 3) Upright, compact branching.  Slow to moderate growth rate.  Fall foliage has a bronze tint.  Large. rich red fruit persists well into January.  An excellent plant for groupings.  A Polly Hill introduction.   Pollinator: Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata x serrata  ‘Sparkleberry’  12’  (Zone 5) Vigorous, more upright in form.  Also a spectacular fruiting cultivar introduced by the US National Arboretum.  A little slower to fruit and slower to defoliate than other cultivars. Styer Award of Garden Merit Winner – 1988.  Pollinators: Apollo and Southern Gentleman.
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Stoplight’  8’  (Zone 4) (Simpson selection and introduction)  Northern type.  Large, glossy dark red fruit to ½” colors early.  Dark green foliage.  (Released for trial as “Hopperton”)  Pollinator: Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Sunset’  6’  (Zone 4)(Simpson selection and introduction)  Vigorous spreading form with heavy fruiting.  Fruits are larger than ‘Winter Red’.  Color holds through December.  Pollinator:  Southern Gentleman
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Tiasquam’  6’-8’  (Zone 3)Waxy dark green foliage.  Vivid red fruit.  Very hardy and drought resistant.  A Polly Hill introduction (named for a river on Martha’s Vineyard).  Pollinator:  Jim Dandy
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Winter Gold’  10’  (Zone 4)(Simpson selection and introduction) 2005 Gold Medal Plant Award Winner.  This excellent plant, bearing pinkish-gold fruit, is a gold-berried sport of ‘Winter Red’.  Pollinator:  Southern Gentleman
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Winter Red’ (Pre#29912)  10’  (Zone 4)(Simpson selection and introduction)  1995 Gold Medal Plant Award Winner.  Foliage is darker green than most, fruiting is heavy even on young plants.  Fruits are intense red, normally retaining good color long after other winterberries – often until spring.  Unsurpassed for brilliance and long lasting effect.  Excellent for cut branch.  Pollinator: Southern Gentleman

ILEX verticillata Male Pollinators:

		ILEX serrata x verticillata  ‘Apollo’  12’  (Zone 5)A male selected by the US National Arboretum to accompany Sparkleberry.  Growth is vigorous.  Selected for its consistent, abundant pollen production.
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Jim Dandy’  5’  (Zone 4)(Simpson selection and introduction)  Formerly called “Dwarf Male” and sometimes called “Early Male”, this is the male pollinator for all northern types, slow growing winterberries.  It blooms heavily over an extended period.
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Raritan Chief’  6,-9’  (Zone 5)Low, with a compact and broad growth habit.  Good green foliage color that’s retained throughout the growing season.
		ILEX verticillata  ‘Southern Gentleman’  8’  (Zone 3)(Simpson selection and introduction)  This male verticillata is the pollinator for the southern type, faster growing winterberries

 ILEX Verticillata Native MAP

Map courtesy of the USDA