Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Friday - October 19, 2007
From: Warren, CT
Region: Northeast
Topic: Trees
Title: Do I need to plant a male winterberry? yes
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
I planted a female winterberry in early July & although I have been watering it regularly the leaves turned brown on the tips in Sept. No berries yet so will I have to plant a male? Thanks, CarolANSWER:
Winter berry (Ilex verticillata (common winterberry)) is a member of the Holly family, but its leaves lack the sharp spines of other hollies, and it is not evergreen. It is native to the US, and is distributed in all of the states east of the Mississippi River plus Texas.
You didn't mention if your plant flowered this year, and of course if there are no flowers, there will be no berries. Bloom time for Winterberry is April to July. Another requisite for berries is a pollen source, ie.a "male" Winterberry plant. If there are none in the vicinity, you will need to plant one to ensure those beautiful red berries in the fall (next fall that is).
From the Image Gallery
More Trees Questions
Offer to send Bumelia to Kansas from Central Texas.
April 02, 2010 - If you send my email to the person who wanted the Bumelia lanuginosa (synonym: Sideroxylon langinosum), I will dig some for him/her.
view the full question and answer
Transplanting crabapples in NJ
October 25, 2010 - I purchased a mature Red Baron crabapple in march of this year from a reputable nursery here in southern NJ. The tree was in the ground when I first viewed it, and since it was march and hadn't bloom...
view the full question and answer
Can hazelnut trees grow in South Florida?
January 30, 2010 - Can Hazelnut trees grow in South Florida?
view the full question and answer
Huisaches in pots from Houston TX
May 20, 2012 - I have special (and probably weird) affinity to huisaches (acacia farnesiana). As a child I used to admire the three that elegantly guarded our backyard looking almost like fingers reaching for the s...
view the full question and answer
Bald cypress knees in leachfield from Ventura CA
March 20, 2013 - Hey, I planted a seedling 20+ years ago which has turned out to be a 40'bald cypress that's now 40'. I'm a native southerner and would hate to cut it down but it's putting up knees in my septic s...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
