Plants for Winter Interest

Winter is a time for contemplation and reflection, and looking forward to spring and new growth. But this doesn't mean that interest in your winter landscape should be relegated only to your dreams! Here are some of our favorite plants that provide interest throughout the frosty months: 

Winterberry

Botanical name: Ilex verticillata
Native range: Eastern North America

This native plant naturalizes well - it adapts to a wide range of growing conditions and can even tolerate constantly wet soil. Look for bright red berries to appear after the leaves (yellow fall color) drop around the first frost. 

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Smooth Hydrangea

Botanical name: Hydrangea arborescens
Native range: Eastern North America

When allowed to dry on the stem, hydrangea blossoms can be attractive all winter long. Cultivars of this native to North America reliably produce an abundance of large blooms. 

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Dragon Lady Holly

Botanical name: Ilex × aquipernyi
Native range: Hybrid of natives to Southern Europe and Western Asia

Not every plant we dig is native to North America. Dragon Lady Holly is a favorite for its reliable performance, compact columnar form, and glossy evergreen foliage with bursts of berries. 

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Grasses

Your ornamental grasses have turned crispy tan following the first few frosts ... what's the rush to cut them back to the ground? Many varieties will stand tall all winter, supplying brightness (especially when catching a ray of sun), texture, and movement to your landscape. The sight of grasses bending in the breeze is scientifically proven to reduce stress!