Better Than Halloween Candy!
Cindy Elliott
At our October 31st meeting, Jane Ellison told us about invasive plants that have no nutritional value for birds - like Halloween candy! The next day, the monthly publication came from Summit County Master Gardeners highlighting the native shrub Ilex verticicllata, Winterberry holly, and its wonderful nutritional value.
We planted a row of 12 Winterberry holly - 10 females and 2 males - two years ago on the west side of our property accompanied with Caltha palustris (marsh marigolds), Ohio spiderwort and Iris - all of whom love the wetland sunny habitat. The winterberry small white flowers were covered in pollinators this spring! Small green berries emerged and grew larger all summer. After the green elliptical leaves turned bright yellow and dropped in early November, an abundance of bright red berries were exposed on the graceful branches of the female shrubs. The berries are a staple food source of the cedar waxwing and robins. Many other birds - wood thrushes, woodpeckers and northern mockingbirds are known to enjoy the berries too! I am anxious to see which birds devour the fruit for a winter nutritious snack!