For the most part, winter is a season of muted browns and grays, brightened by an occasional sparkle of ice and snow or the deep rich greens of various evergreens. On a neighborhood stroll one winter day a few years ago, I snapped a photograph of a rather drab and somber scene of leafless oaks, strewn leaves and a dormant water garden. Turning the corner, however, I discovered a colorful surprise: a bright, purple-berried plant. Upon closer inspection (and a little trespassing), I identified this anomaly as an American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana).

Berry yielding shrubs are hard to beat for winter color and are, in their own way, as attractive as many flowering plants during the growing season. Set against a brilliant blue sky and evergreen backdrop, berried-plants are sure to perk up any winter landscape. Although the production of berries is usually associated with autumn, there are many shrubs whose berries last well into winter and often until spring. Callicarpa is one of those unusual shrubs that’s beautiful in every season. It has a naturally, graceful form, reaching about 5 feet high by 4 feet wide. In spring, it has clusters of small pinkish-flowers, followed by attractive, glossy green leaves and amethyst-purple fruit in the early fall. Native to our region, this beautyberry likes rich soil and full sun. They are normally pruned back heavily each year, since their berries are produced on the new season's growth. With annual pruning, beautyberries are effective at the front of a shrub border or planted in groupings for a stronger impact.

Since that enlightening discovery many winters ago, I have a much greater appreciation for berried plants, and I can’t imagine a southwestern PA home landscape devoid of these treasures. Many homeowners assume that evergreens are the cure-all for the winter garden, and the more the better. But I have been in several gardens that were largely evergreen, and they looked cold and drab. Nothing looks more pitiful than a rhododendron with its leaves curled and dog-eared. Also, a mostly evergreen landscape means that there is little change between summer and winter. I find it to be much more interesting to have a mix of evergreens and deciduous shrubs, and I enjoy anticipating the change between the two seasons.

An added bonus to incorporating plants that produce berries is that the stems can be cut and used in holiday decorating for a wreath or mantle. And cut branches often last beyond the holiday season.The following are some berry producing shrubs that are easy to grow, provide winter beauty and will have your neighbors envious.

Pyrancantha

A sprig of the Blue ‘Princess’ holly shrub.

The red berries of the deciduous Winterberry holly; Ilex ‘Winter Red’

The clustered amethyst-purple berries of the native Callicarpa shrub.

The Snowberry shrub living up to its name with a dusting of snow on the creamy-white berries.

Pyracantha. Another shrub whose primary claim to fame comes from its glorious berries is the pyracantha (Pyracantha coccinea). Its common name, firethorn, is derived both from the fiery brilliance of the orange, red or yellow berries and the prickly thorns on its branches. In spring, pyracantha produces fragrant, ornamental clusters of delicate white flowers. The berries follow in autumn and, like those of other berried plants, usually last all winter and occasionally into spring. The pyracantha has a multitude of uses. It is often used for espalier or trained against a wall. Clipped, the pyracantha makes a good hedge; left unsheared, it becomes an excellent barrier plant. The sharp thorns of most pyracanthas serve as a deterrent to intruders. Many campuses and office parks plant these as a means of prohibiting “shortcuts’’ across a lawn.

Pyracanthas tolerate many different soils and prefer warm sun or partial shade. Most cultivars are hardy in Zones 5–9. We are considered 5a or 6, depending upon who you ask. These shrubs should be watered regularly during dry spells and mulched in the spring in preparation for summer heat.

Holly. Perhaps no other plant is more famous for its berries than the holly, undoubtedly because of its traditional association with Christmas. In old England, Christmas could hardly be celebrated without the obligatory (European) holly sprig (or two) on the formal dining table or in holly wreaths to decorate homes and churches; customs still handed down to this day. Holly is, in fact, mentioned in the history of almost all European countries and was used in pre-Christian times for ornamental and religious purposes. It was once called the "holy" tree, and it is believed that "holly" evolved from this name.

The holly genus Ilex comprises both trees and shrubs, 15 of which are native to North America. None perhaps compare in beauty to the American holly, the same holly of legend and myth. Our hollies are attractive and have a great variety of texture, leaf form, color and habit of growth. They also possess a variety of berries, including reds, oranges and yellows, and may be egg-shaped in addition to being round.Some hollies, such as winterberry (Ilex verticillata), lose their leaves in the winter. Winter Red, a cultivar of winterberry, is one of the few berried plants to thrive and produce outstanding red berries in the shade. It also performs well even in wet or swampy areas, as often seen in the wild.

Other hollies are native to China and Japan. One of these, Ilex pedunculosa (Longstalk holly), while not as well-known as the more common hollies, is esteemed by many gardeners. This plant, with its rounded, spineless leaves, resembles a laurel and grows to form an upright tree approximately 10 to 20 feet tall. Birds are drawn to its shiny, cherry-like fruits, which hang from graceful, pendulous stems. I like this holly as a companion plant to rhododendrons or Pieries japonica.

One important note regarding hollies and many other berry producing plants is the necessity of having two plants of the opposite sex for fruit production. In catalogs these are often sold in "fruiting pairs." Check with your local garden center or nursery for the best male and female plants (where applicable) and which plants are in stock.

Mahonia. The blue berries that I am equally attracted to appear on my mahonia shrub (Mahonia aquifolium) in late spring. The mahonia, commonly called Oregon grape holly, has unusual visual appeal, due to its striking berries, spiny leaves and clustered early spring flowers. This shrub is suited for partial or even deep shade. It is hardy in Zones 5–9, but give it some protection from harsh winter winds.

Snowberry and Coralberry. Some of us have seen pictures of berries shining brightly against snow, but perhaps not so many have heard of the snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), a shrub bearing dime-sized white berries for most of the winter. These berries have a waxy texture and are formed in clusters at the tips of arching stems in summer and fall. Chenault coralberry (Symphoricarpos x chenaultii) has berries that are mostly pink, but with white along the sides. Both snowberry and coralberry can be grown in a wide range (Zones 3–9) and are good city plants, withstanding reflected heat and traffic pollution. They make excellent informal hedges or informal, naturalistic plantings usually in groupings.

Bayberry. The berries of the bayberry are much showier than its small spring flowers. They ripen in autumn and remain on the plant most of the winter (and can be cut to include in the holiday table arrangement). Bayberries are suited for seaside gardens but can also be cultivated inland, making dramatic accent plants with their dark, balsam-scented foliage. Give them full sun and loamy, well-drained soil. Bayberry boughs are often brought inside to use as Christmas decorations in the manner of hollies.

Linden Viburnum. Viburnum dilatatum, cultivar “Erie,” produces an abundance of big clusters of red berries that stand out amongst the golden-yellow fall foliage. As the fruit persists through the winter, they shrivel but hold their color and remain attractive. Flat clusters of white flowers cover the shrub in mid-spring making linden viburnum a strong two-season shrub. Most viburnums, including the linden, can withstand city conditions and are a good choice for border or mass plantings. This viburnum reaches a height of about 6 feet and grows about 4 feet wide. I usually cut these down in late winter to about 2 feet from ground level and allow them to rejuvenate. Once established, most viburnums thrive on neglect.

An added bonus of berry-bearing plants is that many can be dried in the same manner as flowers, so that their colors will last long indoors. Some can be dried more successfully than others. Good candidates include the berries of the bayberry, staghorn sumac, and spent flowers of various hydrangeas, goldenrod, yarrow and fountain grass. Simply cut when the fruit – or flower – is at its peak and hang the stems upside down for several weeks in a cellar or storage area.

The list of shrubs for beautiful berries goes on and on, with many being able to withstand a wide variety of conditions and climates. The range of choice and diversity of all these berry producing plants can only be described as amazing, and it is safe to say that some will brighten winter gardens in every situation and in every home landscape.

Richard A. Liberto is a landscape designer and horticulturist. He can be reached at Libertodesign@comcast.net