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Our nursery covers 4.5 acres, with more than 500 varieties of trees, shrubs, vines and ground covers. Our knowledgeable staff will help you select the perfect trees and shrubs to complement your garden setting. Winterberry Brightens the Winter Landscape  The Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) is a native to the eastern U.S. In nature, winterberry shrubs are typically found in wetland areas. If you do not have a wet area, don’t despair. The winterberry cultivars that Homestead Gardens carries can also be grown successfully in our typical garden soil in full sun or part shade. Unlike most hollies that you may be familiar with, the winterberry will loose its leaves for the winter. Instead of thinking of it as a drawback, I like to think of it as a benefit because it allows the berries to take center stage. The berries will persist long into the winter because they are famine, or emergency, food for birds. The berries may be utilized by most of our local berry eating birds. All of the berry producing shrubs are female and you will need a male pollinator for every three to five female shrubs. ‘Winter Red’ is the tallest variety, reaching about ten feet in height. ‘Southern Gentlemen’ is the pollinator. A smaller variety is ‘Red Sprite’ which will grow three to five feet in height. ‘Jim Dandy’ is the pollinator. Homestead Gardens also carries ‘Sparkleberry’ which is a cross between the native winterberry and a Japanese species. The cross produces a shrub that is about twelve feet high and the heavier fruiting of the Japanese parent with the adaptability to wet locations of the native variety. ‘Southern Gentleman’ will also pollinate the ‘Sparkleberry’.
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Forests are our most strategically important natural resource. Trees protect water quality, clean our air and provide wildlife habitat. One large tree can eliminate 5,000 gallons of stormwater runoff each year, and well placed trees can help reduce energy costs by 15 to 35 percent.
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