Silverberry (Wolf Willow) vs Winterberry - TreeTime.ca

Silverberry (Wolf Willow) vs Winterberry

Elaeagnus commutata

Ilex verticillata

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

CUSTOM GROW

Silverberry (Wolf Willow)
Winterberry

Silverberry (also known as Wolf Willow) is a common native North American shrub. This beautiful ornamental plant has characteristic silver leaves and fragrant yellow flowers.

Its silver berries remain on the branches through the winter. Silverberry is cold hardy and has some ability as a nitrogen fixer. It can grow on dry to moist sandy/gravel soils. This plant is very low maintenance.

Winterberry is a small shrub that produces large quantities of bright red berries that remain on the plant through the fall and into the winter. Adding this shrub to your yard will give it a unique splash of color and attract birds, especially after the leaves drop.

Note: although the foliage is attractive on its own, you need at least one male plant near your female plants or they won't produce berries.

Silverberry (Wolf Willow) Quick Facts

Winterberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: medium


Foliage: silvery leaves
Foliage: yellow-green
Fall colour: bright orange to red
Flowers: yellow
Berries: silver, edible
Berries: bright red, stays through winter
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: american silverberry, silver berry, wolf willow
Other Names: black alder, canada holly, coralberry, fever bush, michigan holly, winterberry holly