Holly - Southern Gentleman

A wonderful shrub for winter interest, the Southern Gentleman Winterberry rounded habit reaches 6-8 feet in height and width, but may be pruned for a smaller shrub. A vigorous growing, upright rounded plant with glossy, dark green summer foliage, Southern Gentleman turns yellow-green to purple-bronze in fall. The leaves drop off the plant in late fall to expose the beautiful berries. The fruits are often eaten by birds. The fruiting branches are great for decoration in the garden or in the house. You'll need both male and female plants to produce fruits. The plant grows in sun or partial shade and a rich, well- drained soil, although it tolerates swampy areas. Southern Gentleman Winterberry, Ilex verticillata 'Southern Gentleman', is a male selection that is used to pollinate Ilex 'Winter Red' and Ilex 'Sparkleberry'. Winterberries are the "queens" of the fruiting shrub world when ranked for ornamental value. ... additional info