How to Cut, Store and Use Winterberry

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly with nonspiny leaves that yields bright red berries in winter. It’s a favorite choice for berried decorations during the holidays, both indoors and out, and thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. For beautiful clusters of small, vibrant berries on this holly’s bare branches, however, you’ll need to get to the bush before any hungry birds do. For humans and pets, the berries are bitter and mildly toxic, causing stomach upset.

Plant winterberry in full or partial sun. It grows best in well-drained, acidic soil with plenty of humus, so mix compost in equal parts with the soil when planting. Winterberry needs moist soil, so soak plants weekly during hot weather. Starting in late summer, female plants produce berries if pollinated by a male plant; the plants are not self-fertile. If you plan to harvest berries for seasonal decoration, be sure to plant at least one male cultivar, such as "Jim Dandy" (Ilex verticillata "Jim Dandy," USDA zones 3 through 9), for every 10 females. While native winterberry can reach 12 feet tall and wide, smaller cultivars, such as "Nana" Red Sprite (USDA zones 3 through 9), which grows 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall and wide, also produce abundant fruit.

Prune winterberry immediately after flowering in spring to control its size and remove dead or diseased branches. To use the berried branches for holiday decor, wait until October or November to cut them, so the berries have time to mature. Try to cut berried branches from all around the shrub, so the cuts are less noticeable. Birds usually eat winterberries after they have frozen a few times, so watch the weather and be prepared. Disinfect pruning tools with a wipe of or dip in rubbing alcohol between cuts.

Winterberry branches cut late in the season will keep their berries for about two months without being placed in water. This makes them a useful choice for dry decorations such as wreaths and swags. If you plan to cut and store winterberry weeks earlier, before creating decorations, place the branches upright in a bucket of water in a cool place out of direct sunlight, such as a garage or basement. Change the water daily.

Insert winterberry branches in vase-and-water arrangements with other holiday greens for a bright accent. Weave dry branches into wreaths to hang on doors and windows or into evergreen garlands and swags. Use dry branches to decorate mantels, side tables, windowsills and centerpieces. For the holiday tree, fill clear glass ornaments with small snips of berry branches along with small pine cones and evergreen tips.