Ilex Magical® Citronella Winterberry

Ilex Magical® Citronella Winterberry is a native deciduous shrub that grows to approximately 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide. A well-branched shrub, Magical Citronella offers year-round interest with lush foliage and bubbly bright-yellow berries that are whorled all along the branches, from top to bottom. In spring, small greenish-white flowers, borne on new growth, attract plenty of pollinators and will be abuzz with bees. However, fall and winter are when Magical Citronella really shines with its berry-laden branches adding bold, seasonal golden hues to the garden or landscape. The long, berried boughs can be harvested for truly spectacular floral arrangements, whether for holiday creations or for cool, modern everyday displays. Left in the garden, the berries sustain songbirds throughout winter.

An Ilex verticillata, commonly called winterberry or winterberry holly, Magical Citronella is a multitrunked shrub with an upright, rounded habit; cain-like growth; and a slow growth rate. Magical Citronella is a female variety that produces berries if a compatible male plant is planted within pollination range. One male plant will pollinate 6 to 10 female plants. Winterberry holly is a fine specimen plant in a mixed bed, but it shows best when massed or grouped, and it makes a lovely informal shrub border or hedge. But this shrubby holly tends to sucker, so it's perfect for naturalized plantings where, along with winter interest, it also supplies food for birds and small mammals.

Cold hardy to Zone 4, Magical Citronella is a low-maintenance plant that grows best in areas with full to part sun and rich, consistently moist, well-draining soils having an acidic pH. Winterberry's natural habitat includes swamps and bogs, so it tolerates wet soils and a fair amount of shade, but soils with a neutral to alkaline pH could hinder its growth. The plant requires little to no pruning, but any desired pruning should be done in early spring, just before new growth emerges. But be sure to only prune after the last frost date in your area. Winterberry holly is a deer resistant plant.

A long-lived native plant, winterberry holly is indigenous to eastern North America. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.