Ilex 'Berry Heavy Gold’

Ilex verticillata 'Berry Heavy Gold': Bright Golden Berries for the Winter Garden

Ilex verticillata 'Berry Heavy Gold' is a Proven Winners® winterberry holly that lights up the cold season with clusters of luminous golden-yellow berries. The fruit appears in abundance along the stems in late summer and holds well into winter, providing striking colour and food for birds when the rest of the garden quiets down. The glossy green foliage turns yellow-green in fall before dropping to reveal the glowing fruit display, making it an excellent structural shrub for year-round appeal.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 6–8’
• Spread: 6–8’
• Flower Colour: Inconspicuous white
• Berry Colour: Golden-yellow
• Foliage: Glossy green, turning yellow-green in fall
• Sunlight Requirements: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Soil Requirements: Moist, acidic, well-drained soil

Uses and Benefits: Perfect for mixed borders, naturalized areas, and water’s-edge plantings where moist soil keeps it thriving. The vibrant golden berries bring a brilliant contrast to evergreens and red-berried hollies, and the fruit is prized by songbirds through the colder months. Use it as a specimen shrub for winter interest or in groups for a more dramatic berry-laden display. Plant a compatible male winterberry, such as 'Mr. Poppins', nearby for best fruit set.

Care Instructions: Plant in full sun for best berry colour and production, though part shade is tolerated. Keep soil evenly moist, especially during dry spells, and mulch to maintain cool roots. Prune in late winter or early spring if shaping is needed, taking care not to remove branches that will bear flowers and berries. A spring top-dressing of compost supports steady growth and berry production.

History: 'Berry Heavy Gold' was developed as part of the Proven Winners® winterberry series to extend the colour palette of this native shrub. It offers the same vigorous growth and heavy fruiting as the classic red forms, but with distinctive golden berries that gleam in the winter landscape.

Final Thoughts: For gardeners seeking a bright twist on a winter classic, Ilex verticillata 'Berry Heavy Gold' brings glowing colour, strong seasonal structure, and reliable wildlife appeal when the garden needs it most.