QUESTION: Which bush has red berries in winter? I want to put one in to enjoy the bright winter color, but I’m not sure what bush has the bright red berries in winter. — George E.
ANSWER: Many different bushes have red berries in the winter, so it’s a matter of choosing the one that best suits your needs and your climate. Here we’ve listed a few of gardeners’ favorite bushes that have red berries in the winter.
Deck the Halls with Boughs of Berries
Holly is the red-berried bush you’re most likely to see in winter wherever you live. There are lots of different varieties across the spectrum of growing zones, with 6 through 8 being the most common. Which holly variety you’re seeing in your neighborhood in winter depends on where you’re located and what your growing zone is. Take your pick for the one cultivated in your growing zone that best suits your tastes and location. We’ve limited our list to the smaller shrub-style hollies, leaving off the bigger holly trees.
Ilex cornuta “Needlepoint”—Chinese Holly, Needlepoint Holly, Willowleaf Holly
Growing Zones: 7 through 9
Size: 15 to 20 feet tall by 10 to 20 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral loamy or sandy soil with good drainage.
Tolerates: Drought and salinity
Ilex crenata—Japanese Holly, Boxleaf Holly
Growing Zones: 5 through 7
Size: 4 to 10 feet tall by 4 to 10 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Ilex crenata “Brass Buckle”—Japanese Holly, Brass Buckle Holly, Boxleaf Holly
Growing Zones: 6 through 8
Size: 1 to 2 feet tall by 1 to 2 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Ilex crenata Patti O Box, also called Ilex crenata “FarrowSK6”—Japanese Holly, Japanese Holly Patti O Box, Boxleaf Holly, Boxleaf Holly Patti O Box
Growing Zones: 6 through 8
Size: 3 to 4 feet tall by 1 to 2 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Ilex crenata “Sky Pencil”—Japanese Holly, Japanese Holly Sky Pencil, Boxleaf Holly, Boxleaf Holly Sky Pencil
Growing Zones: 6 through 8
Size: 6 to 10 feet tall by 1 to 3 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Ilex crenata “Sky Pointer”, also called Ilex crenata “Farrowone”—Japanese Holly, Japanese Holly “Sky Pointer”, Boxleaf Holly, Boxleaf Holly Sky Pointer
Growing Zones: 6 through 8
Size: 4 to 5 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Ilex decidua—Possumhaw, Bearberry, Deciduous Holly, Deciduous Yaupon, Meadow Holly, Prairie Holly, Swamp Holly, Welk Holly, Winterberry
Growing Zones: 5 through 9
Size: 7 to 15 feet tall by 5 to 12 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Clay soil
Ilex Golden Oakland, also called Ilex hybrid “Magden” PP30451
Growing Zones: 6 through 9
Size: 15 to 20 feet tall by 12 to 15 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that is moist but provides good drainage
Ilex opaca—American Holly, Christmas Holly, Evergreen Holly, Prickly Holly, Yule Holly
Growing Zones: 5 through 10
Size: 15 to 30 feet tall by 10 to 20 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that’s moist but provides good drainage
Tolerates: Clay soil
Ilex “Red Beauty”, also called Ilex “Rutzan”
Growing Zones: 6 through 10
Size: 6 to 10 feet tall by 4 to 5 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral chalky, clay, or loamy soil that’s moist but provides good drainage
Ilex verticillata, also called Ilex bronxensis, Ilex fastigiata—Winterberry, Black Alder, Common Winterberry, Michigan Holly
Growing Zones: 3 through 9
Size: 6 to 10 feet tall by 6 to 10 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay or loamy soil. Tolerates clay, poor drainage, or dry soil.
Ilex verticillata Berry Heavy, also called Ilex verticillata “Spravy”—Winterberry, Black Alder Berry Heavy, Feverbark Berry Heavy, Swamp Winterberry Berry Heavy, Winterberry Berry Heavy
Growing Zones: 3 through 9
Size: 6 to 8 feet tall by 6 to 8 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay or loamy soil
Tolerates: Clay soil and poor drainage
Ilex verticillata Berry Poppins, also called Ilex verticillata “FarrowBPop” PP25835—Winterberry, Black Alder Berry Poppins, Feverbark Berry Poppins, Swamp Winterberry Berry Poppins, Winterberry Berry Poppins
Growing Zones: 3 through 9
Size: 3 to 4 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay or loamy soil
Tolerates: Clay soil and poor drainage
Ilex verticillata Little Goblin Red, also called Ilex verticillata “NCI71” PP27109—Winterberry, Black Alder Little Goblin Red, Feverbark Little Goblin Red, Swamp Winterberry Little Goblin Red, Winterberry Little Goblin Red
Growing Zones: 3 through 9
Size: 3 to 5 feet tall by 3 to 5 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay or loam
Tolerates: Clay soil and poor drainage
Ilex verticillata “Red Sprite”—Winterberry, Black Alder Red Sprite, Feverbark Red Sprite, Swamp Winterberry Red Sprite, Winterberry Red Sprite
Growing Zones: 3 through 9
Size: 3 to 5 feet tall by 3 to 5 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay or loamy soil
Tolerates: Clay soil and poor drainage
Ilex verticillata “Wildfire”, also called Ilex verticillata “Bailfire”—Winterberry, Black Alder Wildfire, Feverbark Wildfire, Swamp Winterberry Wildfire, Winterberry Wildfire
Growing Zones: 3 through 9
Size: 6 to 7 feet tall by 7 to 8 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay or loamy soil
Tolerates: Clay soil and poor drainage
Ilex verticillata “Winter Red”—Winterberry Winter Red, Black Alder Winter Red, Feverbark Winter Red, Swamp Winterberry Winter Red
Growing Zones: 3 through 9
Size: 6 to 8 feet tall by 6 to 8 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay or loamy soil
Tolerates: Clay soil and poor drainage
Ilex vomitoria—Yaupon, Cassina
Growing Zones: 7 through 9
Size: 10 to 20 feet tall by 8 to 12 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that offers good drainage
Tolerates: Drought, dry soil, and salinity
Ilex x meserveae “Blue Princess”—Blue Holly, Blue Holly Blue Princess
Growing Zones: 4 through 9
Size: 10 to 15 feet tall by 8 to 10 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that’s moist but provides good drainage
Ilex x meserveae “Castle Spire” also called Ilex x meserveae “Hachfee”—Blue Holly
Growing Zones: 5 through 7
Size: 6 to 10 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loam, or sandy soil that drains well
Although holly is the red-berried bush you’re most likely to see in other people’s gardens, that doesn’t mean you’re limited to holly when you want to add some winter color. There are lots of other bushes that produce red berries for you to choose from. Here we’ve given a short description of some of our favorites to give you some ideas.
American Cranberrybush (Viburnum trilobum “Redwing”, also called Viburnum trilobum “J.M. Select” Redwing)—American Cranberrybush “Redwing”, Highbush Cranberry “Redwing”
Color doesn’t just come from the bright red berries that first appear in fall and stay through early winter. Springtime blossoms of white are held above the foliage with delicate stem halos. The American Cranberrybush is also prized for its foliage, which starts out green and becomes tinged through with red in spring. The foliage stays through summer, finally giving way to the red berries in fall.
Growing Zones: 2 through 7
Size: 8 to 10 feet tall by 6 to 8 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline or neutral clay or loamy soil that provides good drainage. Tolerates clay soil and drought.
Bearberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri, also called Cotoneaster humifusa or Cotoneaster humifusus)
This dense evergreen shrub features small white blossoms that peek out from among small, glossy green leaves sprinkled with bright red berries. Flowers appear in spring and stay on the plant through the beginning of summer, sharing space with the berries for a short time. The berries turn red in fall and stay on the shrub through winter.
Growing Zones: 5 through 8
Size: 9 inches to 1 foot tall by 4 to 6 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Evergreen Dogwood (Cornus capitata, also called Benthamidia capitata or Benthamidia fragifera)—Bentham’s Cornel, Headed-Flowered Dogwood, Himalayan Evergreen Dogwood, Himalayan Strawberry Tree
The evergreen dogwood’s berries, which appear in fall, stand out in contrast to the tiny berries of holly bushes and many others on this list. They’re larger, fleshier, and less perfectly round—more like strawberries than the holly bush’s currant-like berries. Evergreen dogwoods are known for being easy to grow because they’re almost completely free of pests and disease.
Growing Zones: 8 through 9
Size: 20 to 40 feet tall by 20 to 40 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
European Cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus)—Cramp Bark, European Cranberry Tree, Guelder Rose, Marsh Alder, Ople Tree, Red Elder, Rose Elder, Snowball Tree, Water Elder
From late spring to early summer, European cranberry bushes are covered in lacy white blossoms. The small red berries that follow the flowers cling to the bush’s branches through the middle of fall. At times, the green foliage will give way to colors like yellow and red or deep maroon.
Growing Zones: 3 through 8
Size: 8 to 10 feet tall by 10 to 15 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Formosa Firethorn (Pyracantha koidzumii “Victory”)—Formosa Firethorn “Victory”, Taiwan Firethorn “Victory”
Berries aren’t dotted among the foliage of the formosa firethorn so much as hung in heavy clusters. The plants also boast swaths of white blossoms from spring to early summer. The berries become noticeable in fall when they ripen and get their color, and they stay on the bushes through winter.
Growing Zones: 7 through 9
Size: 8 to 10 feet tall by 6 to 8 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)—Chinese Sacred Bamboo, Nandina, Sacred Bamboo
Gardeners don’t only love heavenly bamboo for its bright red berries, which hang heavy from its branches in fall and winter. These plants are also prized for the handsomely colored foliage, which is a kind of red-green gradient. The flowers are also pretty, appearing at the tips of the branches in springtime.
Growing Zones: 6 through 9
Size: 4 to 8 feet tall by 2 to 4 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Japanese Skimmia (Skimmia japonica)
You’ll love the densely mounded evergreen foliage of Japanese skimmia as well as its flowers and bright red fruit. The star-shaped white flowers on the ends of branches are sometimes splashed with pink. Female plants produce the berries, which brighten the plant with sprinkles of red in fall and winter.
Growing Zones: 6 through 8
Size: 3 to 4 feet tall by 4 to 5 feet wide
Sun: Partial sun or shade
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky or loamy soil that provides good drainage
Linden Viburnum (Viburnum dilatatum “Cardinal Candy”, also called Viburnum dilatatum “Henneke” PP12870)—Linden Viburnum “Cardinal Candy”
The umbrella-shaped bunches of white blooms break out in a fragrant profusion on linden viburnum in late spring and summer. They’re followed by just as many heavy clusters of bright red berries, which remain on the bush through the winter. This plant is noted for having great hardiness in cold weather.
Growing Zones: 4 through 7
Size: 6 to 8 feet tall by 6 to 8 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Drought
Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia, also called Photinia pyrifolia, Pyrus arbutifolia, Sorbus arbutifolia)—Red Chokecherry
Springtime blossoms resemble miniature dogwood blooms in shades of white and pink. The green foliage transforms to vivid red in fall. Red berries appear in late summer and remain on the bush through winter. They hang in clusters like cherries from the branches.
Growing Zones: 4 through 9
Size: 5 to 10 feet tall by 3 to 5 feet wide
Sun: Full sun or partial sun
Soil: Acidic or neutral clay or loamy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Dry soil
Spotted Laurel (Aucuba japonica)—Gold-Leaf Plant, Japanese Aucuba, Japanese Laurel, Spotted Laurel,Variegated Laurel
The spotted laurel bush gets its name from its handsomely variegated foliage, which matches brilliant green with bright gold in a spatter-paint pattern across the leaves. This evergreen shrub is also dotted with purple blooms in early spring. The blooms give way to berries in the fall that stay on the bush through the winter and on into springtime.
Growing Zones: 6 through 10
Size: 6 to 10 feet tall by 5 to 9 feet wide
Sun: Partial sun or shade
Soil: Acidic, alkaline, or neutral chalky, clay, loamy, or sandy soil that provides good drainage
Tolerates: Clay soil
With this many choices for a red-berried bush that keeps its fruit in winter, you’ll be easily able to find the best one for your garden. Make sure to keep toxicity in mind if you have pets or small children that play in the garden. Many plants that are edible to birds and other wildlife can be toxic to humans and pets.
Learn More About Bushes with Red Berries:
https://www.gardenia.net/guide/evergreen-shrubs-and-trees-with-red-fruits-berries
https://www.gardenia.net/guide/great-shrubs-for-winter-interest-for-new-england
https://www.gardenia.net/plants/plant-family/ilex_–_hollies
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/shgen/shrubs-with-winter-berries.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/10-plants-with-red-berries.htm
https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/trees-and-shrubs/winter-berries
https://www.mygreenimpressions.com/blog/bid/325503/5-Berry-Interesting-Winter-Landscape-Plants
https://www.thespruce.com/garden-shrubs-with-red-berries-5074167
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