Red or Pink Berries in Winter

Fendler’s Barbery ( Berberis fendleri) is plant with beautiful sprays of red berries. In this picture you can clearly see the dangling berries that add so much interest to a winter garden. The spreading branches are lovely in their own right and all along each stem are delicate strings of red berries. Like all Barberry, this cultivar has spreading, thorny branches, dangling stems of blooms in the spring that create a showery effect in the garden, and of course, the edible red berries in the late fall and winter. Hardy in Zones 4-8 Barberry prefers part shade and loamy soil.

A red berried tree that makes a lovely addition to a wildlife-friendly landscape it the Washington Hawthorn Tree (Crataegus phaenopyrum ‘Washington Hawthorn’). As with other hawthorns, this 25′ tall tree, rounded tree produces gorgeous red berries that are a favorite source of food for birds in the barren winter months, despite the thorny branches. Bronze and red fall foliage is only an added bonus, as is this plants hardiness surviving with ease even in zone 3, yet still performing well through the heat of zone 9. A great plant to consider for year-round interest.

The Spindle Tree (Euonymus europaeus) is a pretty shrub or small tree with dangling clusters of reddish-pink, lobed fruits. The berries are poisonous so if you have children be aware of that, however the display is spectacular. A native in the UK it is well suited to woodland landscapes and is hardy to zone 3. It will tolerate part shade and does well in either sandy or clay soil, though it prefer loam, as long as it has good drainage. It can be invasive in some areas so check with your local extension office to find out.

A deciduous holly, Berry Heavy (Ilex x ‘Berry Heavy) produces masses of true red berries on otherwise barren stems. Hardy in zones 4-9, this bush grows 6′ tall and 3-4 wide. Be sure to plant a male holly for pollination or you won’t have any berries at all.

Other hollies are evergreen with red berries, which is what people tend to think when they think of winter hollies. There is a wide variety however, so be sure to carefully read the plant requirements. For example, this holly, Ilex JC Van Tool, is a self-fertilizing holly plant that does not need a male plant for pollination, but it also grows 15-20′ tall without pruning. This smaller holly, the Castle Spire (Ilex x meserveae ‘Castle Spire’) is an upright growing evergreen holly that needs a male pollinator to produce the beautiful red berries.

It isn’t hard to find plants that will provide you with beautiful red or pink colored berries to brighten up your winter landscape. Review the general tips for using berries or see all the ways to use plants for brightening a winter garden landscape.