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Aquifoliaceae
Trees and shrubs
‘Southern Gentleman’ Winterberry Holly (male)
Hardiness
Zone 3
Discover the plant
Family
Aquifoliaceae
Ilex verticillata ‘Southern Gentleman’ is a deciduous male holly essential for the pollination of female red-berried holly varieties, renowned for its vigor and reliable spring flowering. This selection does not produce berries, but plays a key role in ensuring abundant fruiting in nearby female cultivars. Its overall habit is upright, dense, and well-branched, with a silhouette slightly taller than it is wide, ideal for naturalist mass plantings, mixed hedges, and discreet utilitarian plantings. The medium green, oval, finely toothed deciduous foliage offers a light texture in season and disappears in winter, leaving behind a sober structure. Very hardy and tolerant, ‘Southern Gentleman’ adapts well to moist to fresh soils and has significant ecological value in supporting biodiversity through pollination. It is an indispensable choice for ensuring the success of female hollies in northern gardens.
Soil and care
The rightconditions.
Fertilization
Low to moderate, fertilizer for acid-loving shrubs
Bloom and dimensions
The completeprofile.
Bloom periodSpring
Flower colorSubtle cream white
Foliage colorGreen
Foliage typeObsolete
FruitingNone, male pollinator cultivar
Maximum height3–4 m (10–13 ft)
Maximum width6.5–10 ft (2–3 m)
Growth rateModerate
Hardiness zoneZone 3
Minimum temperature-40°C
Its strengths, naturally.
Not recommended for pets
Pets
Attracts or supports pollinating insects
Pollinators
Less attractive or generally tolerated by deer
Deer
