Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly shrub native to wetland areas of the eastern half of Canada and the U.S. As stated on Page 1, usefulness for attracting wild birds in winter is one of the criteria considered for this list, and the fruit of winterberry (see photo at right) will certainly attract birds to your property. Far from being a drawback, its deciduous nature is actually a benefit for the winter landscape. For winterberry holly's exciting display of red berries is enhanced as this holly shrub sheds its leaves. All the attention is drawn to the plant's fruit, with no foliage to obstruct one's view.
A dioecious shrub (as are bayberry and evergreen holly), to ensure fruit production it is best to plant several shrubs together, to increase your chances of finding a male plant to accompany the females. For a full-length feature on this shrub, please consult Brighten the Winter Landscape With Winterberry Holly.
Three varieties of birch trees lend considerable interest to the winter landscape, two of them (the second and third entries below) because of their bark:
- Young's weeping birch (Betula pendula 'Youngii') is a 6'-12' dwarf variety that I mention largely because it provides a good example of one of the "winning" characteristics for winter landscapes that I mentioned earlier. Namely, Young's weeping birch has an interesting branching pattern: it droops (as its name suggests).
- Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is the well-known beauty native to most of Canada and some of the northern states of the U.S. The tree looks like it's "shedding" its bark, which peels from the trunk in strips as white as untrodden snow.
- Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) is a shiny golden version of paper birch.
Yews are a part of the tradition of Christmas decorating in Britain and elsewhere in Europe. Sprigs have long been cut from yews to be used like Christmas holly. These conifers bear evergreen needles and bright red berries. But keep children away from both the foliage and the berries of these poisonous plants; the seeds and needles are quite toxic! Please consult my full-length article for more information on yew shrubs.
Canadian hemlocks (Tsuga canadenesis) are best known as forest trees that reach enormous heights (60' or more). But if you select a shrub-form cultivar, Canadian hemlocks can be maintained at the height you desire. A properly pruned row of Canadian hemlock shrubs can form a dense and attractive hedge. Or let their feathery foliage grow naturally and use them as specimens. Either way, these evergreen conifers will help give your winter landscape some much-needed visual interest.
Like winterberry holly Viking black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa 'Viking') tolerates poorly-drained soils. Like American cranberrybush viburnum (see Page 1) and barberry (see Page 3) this shrub provides foliage that ranges from red to purple in fall, making it a two-season standout. Viking black chokeberry is hardy to zone 3. As with all the berries mentioned in this article, chokeberry berries serve as an emergency food for wild birds. They're not the birds' first choice (they are astringent or otherwise unpalatable which is why they stick around so long!). But when the birds get desperate, these plants are their salvation. Its white flowers in May yield to purplish black berry clusters. It grows to a height of 3'-5', with a spread of 3'-5'.
On Page 3 we consider two shrubs which, while formerly popular in winter landscaping, are no longer recommended, due to their invasive nature....
