Winterberries for holiday decorations & songbird snacks

Native Ilex verticillata shrubs, commonly called winterberry, stands out this time of year with its bright red fruit  in wetland areas along roadsides. It's used in a variety of holiday decorations around the house -both inside and out. A clump of winterberry and evergreens in a large pot brightens up the deck for the holidays and well into winter, especially after it snows. In addition, winterberry is what's called a 'persistent' fruit, holding up to many freezes and thaws -- which actually seems to increase palatability for songbirds. In late winter, seeds, fruits and other mast become much more scarce for wintering songbirds, and coincidentally, the winterberry is still holding up and tasting pretty good. In previous winters, bluebirds and robins have feasted on winterberry arrangements on the deck during late winter snowstorms, when the seed eaters were enjoying the sunflower they don't eat in the traditional bird feeders. Pine grosbeaks show up when food supplies are depleted in more northern territories, and will use ornamental crab apples and cherries in much the same way. So whether you have a bird feeding station or not, think about the birds when creating your outdoor winter displays, and make sure to leave them up until spring. You may help a small flock of wintering bluebirds make it through that last snowstorm.