Winterberry 'Red Sprite'

Questions about winterberry 'Red Sprite'

Does winterberry 'Red Sprite' need sun or shade?

Winterberry 'Red Sprite' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, of average fertility, and plenty of water. It copes with soil that stays wet.

What zones does winterberry 'Red Sprite' grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 9. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

How far apart should winterberry 'Red Sprite' be planted?

3½ ft (100 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 4 ft (120 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 4 ft (120 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many winterberry 'Red Sprite' plants do I need?

At 3½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 4 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 3 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one, planted singly: it is the bed's structure, and everything else is arranged around it.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is winterberry 'Red Sprite' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. The berries and leaves cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like winterberry 'Red Sprite'?

These come closest to doing what winterberry 'Red Sprite' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Red twig dogwood 'Arctic Fire': the same job in a bed and the same size.
• Alpine currant: the same job in a bed; 12 in taller, wants average soil.
• Dwarf arctic willow: the same job in a bed; 8 in wider, fine leaves, not medium.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat winterberry 'Red Sprite'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What does winterberry 'Red Sprite' look like in winter?

Winterberry 'Red Sprite' drops its leaves and stands as bare branches: it is grown for winter berries for small gardens and foundation planting with winter interest. That is when to see its shape, and to prune it if it needs pruning.

Is winterberry 'Red Sprite' good for bees and butterflies?

Winterberry 'Red Sprite' is visited by pollinators, specialist bees, butterflies and songbirds.

It is a host plant: the caterpillars of henry's elfin feed on its leaves. A butterfly can only lay its eggs on its host plants, so these do more for it than any nectar flower.