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Ilex verticillata
Ilex verticillata, or Winterberry Holly as it is commonly known is a deciduous Ilex, native to Eastern North America. It ranges from the mountains of Alabama all the way up into Canada, and west into Minnesota. There are a few subspecies throughout the range, and while it can be found in zones 3-9 these selections have not been throughly tested in America. (Yes it's an American plant, but these were bred in Holland) They should survive easily in zones 4-8, and may tolerate colder and warmer conditions.
Ilex verticillata naturally grows in acidic swampy or boggy areas, in full sun to part shade. They adapt to most soils, preferring acidic conditions, and need access to moisture to retain their fruit. Drought may not kill them, but it will cause berry drop.
As a cut product they command very high prices, especially when well grown. They naturally drop their leaves in autumn revealing their bright plump berries. In the north, they generally lose their leaves in time to harvest for Autumn arrangements, but in the south you make need to "sweat" the stems to encourage leaf drop. (I recommend getting a copy of Woody Cut Stems, Production and Postharvest Handling of Branches for Flowers, Fruit, and Foliage to learn more about this process.)
The yellow and orange cultivars are ideal for autumn bouquets, combining beautifully with mums, kale, and the other gems of autumn. They are also the perfect for Thanksgiving, a time when many northern growers do not have much to sell. After Thanksgiving the red varieties become very popular. They last quite well out of water, and are often used in outdoor evergreen arrangements. Well grown tall stems are striking on their own. I used to often use them with Amaryllis in the Christmas season for bar, restaurant and hotel work.
As with most hollies, Ilex verticillata is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants. The females make the berries, but they will only do so in the presence of a male plant. Kolster, the breeder of these, recommends 1 male for every 10 female plants. Every order of 10 plants will be shipped with an additional male plant to ensure pollination. We are unfortunately unable to provide extra males for customers splitting orders. So if you plan to split your order, you must order at least two varieties. (You will receive 11 plants total with each order). Plant the male plants in the middle of the females to increase the chance of the bees pollinating every flower.
Ilex is a bit slow to establish. You should begin harvest 3 or 4 years after planting, but once they reach maturity you can manage your harvest through pruning. They flower and fruit on the previous season's growth.
Hardy zones 4-8
Space 3-4' between plants
Magical Amaranth is scarlet
Magical Citronella is a clear bright yellow, quite uncommon in the world of Ilex.
Magical Cresgold is a rich golden color
Magical Daydream is a golden color with orange flush on the berry
Magical Berry is a bit shorter, topping out at 4', but has very large and full berries. It also produces upright stems in abundance, leading to a bigger harvest per sq. ft.
Everything You Need to Know
Ordering
What are Bare Roots?
Where we Ship
We ship bare roots to the lower 48 states and Alaska via FedEx. (Sorry, Hawaii!)
When we Ship
All Bare Roots will ship in March 2026. Specific ship/delivery dates cannot be accommodated. You will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking information as soon as your order is on its way. *Clematis will be shipped separately from other bare roots.*
Order Minimums
All woody and bare root perennial varieties (with the exception of Hydrangea and Clematis) are sold in bundles of 10. Hydrangea are sold in bundles of 9 or 16, depending on the variety, as indicated in the product description. The minimum order is 4 total bundles of any variety excluding Clematis.
Clematis is sold in bundles of 25 roots. Clematis may be purchased individually, or alongside other bare root items. It will be shipped separately, and therefore does not count towards the 4 item minimum applicable to all other bare roots. Please see our shipping rules below.
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Active Orders
Order Confirmation
You will receive a confirmation email from info@farmerbailey.com shortly after placing your order. You will receive another email in February 2026 once we have a clearer idea as to exactly when your order will be received.
Substitutions and Shortages
In the unlikely event of an unexpected shortage, we will reach out to you to find a solution; be that a substitution, refund, or a combination thereof.
Cancellations
Orders may be cancelled up until February 1, 2026. Farmer Bailey retains a 10% cancellation fee on all canceled orders and order items.
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Shipping
Shipping
Bare Roots will ship via FedEx in March 2026 at a flat rate of $25 per box. 6 bundles fill one box, excluding Clematis.
So 4-6 bundles ship for $25, 7-12 bundles ship for $50, and so forth.
*Shipping to Alaska is $75 per box.
Clematis orders ship at a flat rate of $10 regardless of order size. Clematis may be ordered along with other bare root items, and doing so will add $10 to the shipping charge. So, one box of bare roots plus any Clematis will ship for $35.
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Damaged/Missing Items
Damaged Bare Roots
You may see a bit of mold on the roots, but this is normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game.
Damage in transit is unlikely, but always a possibility when shipping plant material, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration if this occurs. But fear not! We will work with you to make things right.
Claims. To file a claim, fill out this form within 24 hours of receiving your order. Based on our assessment, we'll issue the necessary refund(s) right away. We are unable to accept liability for bare root non-viability if no claim was made at the time of the roots' arrival. It is possible our team will request that you plant the bare roots in question and follow up based on the outcome of the roots on or after June 1st. Farmer Bailey will not accept claims on bare roots after June 1st.
Please note: transactions completed using PayPal Express as the payment method may only be eligible for credit at www.FarmerBailey.com. Farmer Bailey Inc. reserves the right to issue discount code in place of a cash refund in these instances.
What You'll Receive
Bare root woody plants are just that! Plants with bare roots. They are dug from the field where they were grown, are washed and then stored in the perfect climate over the winter months. This process has many benefits.
Soil is heavy and messy to ship. Removing the soil makes it possible to bring in these hard to find plants from Holland where they are grown by the very folks that breed them.
Soil also can harbor insects and pathogens, so removing plants from soil helps satisfy import requirements of the USDA and ensures you are receiving healthy disease free plant material. The plants are harvested in a dormant state and held that way until they are shipped. They won't even know they have changed countries when they wake up in your garden or field in the springtime.
Our woody plants are grown in the field in Holland for 1 year before shipping to you. They are pinched a couple of times during the growing season resulting in a stocky well branched plant that will have a good structure on arrival.
These plants will establish quickly in 2025 and you may be able to start harvesting as soon as 2026 on the faster maturing crops. Height will vary, but in general they will be around 12-16" in height.
What To Do With It
All of these plants will ship to you in March at a time approprate for planting. They will be just coming out of dormancy. You may see swelling buds or a bit of new growth, but in general they will be in a dormant state and may look a little dead. Don't worry! They will wake up.
You may see a bit of mold on the roots but this is completely normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game.
If you can't plant immediately on arrival store your bare roots in the cooler. Keep them damp and wrapped in plastic as dry roots are the kiss of death for this type of product. The cold will delay their growth. Keep them from freezing. You can either pot them into 1 gallon pots or plant them directly into your prepared soil. Just make sure to plant them within a few days of arrival. They are waking up and are ready to grow, and they will decline quickly if they are not given soil, water and sunshine.
If they arrive before you can plant outside or before it is reliably above freezing outdoors, pot them, and put them back into your cooler until spring advances. They will start to grow new roots immediately. When you see new buds on the trees and shrubs outdoors it is time to bring them out.
To be honest I am being overly cautious in my recommendations, but these these plants aren't cheap. They are a long term investment that will pay for themselves many times over if you get them through this brief period of transition. Read the directions and success sure to follow.
It is a carefully orchestrated process to get plants quickly from their storage conditions to you so please do your part and be ready to plant them on arrival. There is no reason that these plants will experience any stress if you prepare for their arrival.
Growing Guides
Click here to access all of our comprehensive growing guides.
| Common Name | Winterberry holly |
| Genus | Ilex |
| Species | verticillata |
| Family | Acanthaceae |
| Life Cycle | deciduous shrub |
| Format | Bare Roots |
| Care | All of these plants will ship to you just coming out of dormancy. You may see swelling buds or a bit of new growth, but in general they will be in a dormant state and may look a little dead. Don't worry! They will wake up. You may see a bit of mold on the roots but this is completely normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game. If you can't plant immediately on arrival store your bare roots in the cooler.The cold will delay their growth. Keep them from freezing. You can either pot them into 1 gallon pots or plant them directly into your prepared soil. Just make sure to plant them within a few days of arrival. They are waking up and are ready to grow, and they will decline quickly if they are not given soil, water and sunshine. This is a carefully orchestrated process to get plants quickly from their storage conditions to you so please do your part and be ready to plant them on arrival. There is no reason that these plants will experience any stress if you prepare for their arrival. |
| Netting / Staking | None |
| Hardiness |
Hardy zones 4-8. They should survive easily in zones 4-8, and may tolerate colder and warmer conditions. |
| Spacing | Space 4' between plants, mature height is 5-6' |
| Soil Preference | Adaptable to most soils, naturally growing in acidic swampy or boggy areas. |
| Light | Full sun to part shade. |
| Water | lIex verticillata naturally grows in acidic swampy or boggy areas. They need access to moisture to retain their fruit. Drought may not kill them, but it will cause berry drop. |
| When to Plant | Spring, when the ground is workable. |
| Harvesting |
Ilex flower and fruit on the previous season's growth. They naturally drop their leaves in autumn revealing their bright plump berries. In the north, they generally lose their leaves in time to harvest for Autumn arrangements, but in the south you make need to "sweat" the stems to encourage leaf drop. I recommend getting a copy of Woody Cut Stems, Production and Postharvest Handling of Branches for Flowers, Fruit, and Foliage to learn more about this process. Ilex is a bit slow to establish. You should begin harvest 3 or 4 years after planting, but once they reach maturity you can manage your harvest through pruning. |
| Post Harvest Care | Post Harvest guide coming soon |
| Diseases / Insects | The native holly leafminer, Japanese wax scale, and southern red mites are the most frequently reported pests of hollies in the southeastern United States. Leaf spots and powdery mildew occasionally occur. Neutral to alkaline soils may cause chlorosis (yellowing of leaves) and even death. |
| Bailey's Notes |
lex verticillata, or Winterberry Holly as it is commonly known, is a deciduous Ilex, native to Eastern North America. It ranges from the mountains of Alabama all the way up into Canada, and west into Minnesota. As a cut product they command very high prices, especially when well grown. The yellow and orange cultivars are ideal for autumn bouquets, combining beautifully with mums, kale, and the other gems of autumn. They are also the perfect for Thanksgiving, a time when many northern growers do not have much to sell. After Thanksgiving the red varieties become very popular. They last quite well out of water, and are often used in outdoor evergreen arrangements. Well grown tall stems are striking on their own. I used to often use them with Amaryllis in the Christmas season for bar, restaurant and hotel work. As with most hollies, Ilex verticillata is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants. The females make the berries, but they will only do so in the presence of a male plant. Ilex breeder Kolster recommends 1 male for every 10 female plants. Every order of 10 plants will be shipped with an additional male plant to ensure pollination. You will receive 11 plants total with each order). Plant the male plants in the middle of the females to increase the chance of the bees pollinating every flower. |
| Resources |