Ilex laevigata

Common Names

Smooth Winterberry

Summary

Smooth Winterberry is a deciduous shrub native to the eastern United States that typically grows 6–12 ft tall in wetlands and other damp, acidic sites, with glossy oval leaves that have fine serrations; separate male and female flowers are produced, and female plants bear orange-red berries that color the landscape from September to October and persist through winter. Flowers appear in April–May.

Hardy to USDA Zone 4, it tolerates full sun to partial shade and moist soils—clay, loam, or sand—often in acidic conditions; well suited to shrub borders and hedges and to wet sites such as rain gardens and along ponds or streams, it provides wildlife value by attracting bees, other pollinators, and birds.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

10-12 feet

Spread

6-10 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6a-7b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun, partial sun, or partial shade.

Soil Type

Wet, acidic soil.

Soil Drainage

Wet, poorly drained soils.

Soil pH

Acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Pale green to yellow

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Fall

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, other pollinators, and birds are attracted.