Hello,

Looking for an i.d. on a volunteer shrub I have. See photos of flowers/leaves/bark below. It has minuscule white flowers that are currently present, and puts out red berries in the fall that persist into winter. If I recall the shrub turns nice fall red-ish color. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the berries/fall color. It suckers from the base. I live in NY state, zone 5B. Thanks for your help!

Regards,
Sally

Hi Sally/PlantSmitten:

Thank you for the opportunity to identify your fine plant. It is a Winterberry Holly - Ilex verticillata.

In fact, that is a female flowered plant which will set the red fruit that you recall. It needs pollination by a male flowered plant, which I suspect that there must be one around nearby.

If you were planting this species, you would select a male named variety to go with every 5 or so female named variety to have good fruit set.

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Wow, thanks to all of you! I have always desired this plant, and never knew that I had one! Indeed, there is another right next to it. If that one is the male plant, then it would still flower but not set fruit?

Exciting! Appreciate your information,

Sally