Winterberry vs Sitka Spruce - TreeTime.ca

Winterberry vs Sitka Spruce

Ilex verticillata

Picea sitchensis

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Winterberry
Sitka Spruce

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.

Sitka Spruce is a native conifer and the largest spruce species in the world. It grows quickly and reaches impressive heights, often reaching more than 50 metres (164 feet) in suitable conditions. It has strong, durable wood that has long been recognised for its commercial value.

It contributes to soil stability and plays an important role in coastal ecosystems. It offers cover and nesting sites for birds and small animals, and its seeds provide food for wildlife such as songbirds and small mammals.

Sitka Spruce plays a role in reforestation and ecological restoration projects in Coastal BC. The Wright Brothers used Sitka Spruce wood to build the frames of their first flying machines.

Winterberry Quick Facts

Sitka Spruce Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 5a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 61 m (200 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 11 m (35 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: long
Growth form: upright, conical
Spreading: seeds - low, layering - low
Suckering: medium


Foliage: yellow-green
Fall colour: bright orange to red
Bark: thin, flaky, gray-brown to gray-purple
Berries: bright red, stays through winter
Cones: Reddish-brown, papery cones
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Native to: BC
Other Names: black alder, canada holly, coralberry, fever bush, michigan holly, winterberry holly
Other Names: coast spruce, tideland spruce