winterberry
noun
win·ter·ber·ry
ˈwin-tər-ˌber-ē 
1
: an eastern North American shrub (Ilex verticillata) of the holly family with axillary flowers, usually bright red berries, and deciduous leaves that turn black in the fall
called also black alder
2
: any of several congeneric shrubs or small trees (such as Ilex laevigata of the eastern U.S.)
Examples of winterberry in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The winterberry holly is a bit slower.
—
Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2020
Other cool-weather shrubs to consider for the region include witch hazel, winter jasmine, viburnum and winterberry.
—oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2021
Volunteers planted a winterberry holly tree last month at Mass Audubon’s Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, the last of nearly 600 plantings in a four-year transformation that returns a longtime Plymouth cranberry farm back to its natural state.
—BostonGlobe.com, 8 July 2021
Channel winter’s most universal plant, the winterberry, with pops of red jacquard tablecloths and marbleized coasters atop your dining tables.
—Ciarra Lorren Zatorski, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2020
Consulting ecologist and president of Prairie Nursery in Westfield, Neil Diboll mentioned native winterberry (Ilex verticillata) as a good choice for winterscaping.
—Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Oct. 2020
Some of us appreciate Wisconsin’s stark winter landscapes and visit botanical gardens to stroll their paths and appreciate the ruddy auburn limbs of dogwood trees or the bright, red fruits on winterberry holly bushes.
—Brian E. Clark, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2019
The native winterberry, which grows in moist, acid soil at the edge of bogs, is a large shrub, but cultivars are widely available in a range of sizes.
—Beth Botts, chicagotribune.com, 7 Dec. 2019
No garden should be without hellebores or a daphne or two, winterberry hollies and witch hazels.
—Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2019
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Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2020
Other cool-weather shrubs to consider for the region include witch hazel, winter jasmine, viburnum and winterberry.
—oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2021
Volunteers planted a winterberry holly tree last month at Mass Audubon’s Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, the last of nearly 600 plantings in a four-year transformation that returns a longtime Plymouth cranberry farm back to its natural state.
—BostonGlobe.com, 8 July 2021
Channel winter’s most universal plant, the winterberry, with pops of red jacquard tablecloths and marbleized coasters atop your dining tables.
—Ciarra Lorren Zatorski, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2020
Consulting ecologist and president of Prairie Nursery in Westfield, Neil Diboll mentioned native winterberry (Ilex verticillata) as a good choice for winterscaping.
—Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Oct. 2020
Some of us appreciate Wisconsin’s stark winter landscapes and visit botanical gardens to stroll their paths and appreciate the ruddy auburn limbs of dogwood trees or the bright, red fruits on winterberry holly bushes.
—Brian E. Clark, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2019
The native winterberry, which grows in moist, acid soil at the edge of bogs, is a large shrub, but cultivars are widely available in a range of sizes.
—Beth Botts, chicagotribune.com, 7 Dec. 2019
No garden should be without hellebores or a daphne or two, winterberry hollies and witch hazels.
—Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2019
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'winterberry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1752, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near winterberry
Cite this Entry
“Winterberry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/winterberry. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
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