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Ilex verticillata

Common Winterberry is a deciduous holly with very showy, bright red, berry-like fruits from late fall through winter. Tiny, greenish-white flowers blooming June-July are a nectar source for honeybees and butterflies. The long-lasting berries provide winter food for birds. Use in shrub borders and hedges. Common Winterberry is a good choice for wet sites, such as rain gardens and along ponds or streams.

Ilex opaca

American Holly is a wildlife-friendly evergreen tree with dark green, spine-tipped leaves and light gray bark. Its tiny, greenish-white flowers blooming May-June provide a nectar source for honeybees and butterflies. This tree is also a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici). Since it is dioecious (separate male and female plants), a male must be in the area to pollinate females for fruit production. The female trees bear bright red, berry-like fruits, which persist through the winter and provide winter food for birds. The red fruits and evergreen leaves add winter color to the yard, and cuttings make excellent holiday decorations. Use American Holly as a specimen tree or plant in groups in woodland gardens or hedges.

Ilex laevigata

Smooth Winterberry, a close relative of Common Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), is a deciduous holly with spineless leaves. Its white to cream flowers bloom May-July. Its red, berry-like fruits add color to the yard from September-February and provide winter food for birds. Its leaves turn yellow before dropping in the fall. Use this bird-friendly species in shrub borders and hedges. Good choice for wet sites, such as rain gardens and along ponds or streams.

Ilex glabra

Inkberry is an evergreen holly with spineless leaves. Tiny, greenish-white flowers bloom in the spring, followed by black berry-like fruits in late fall and winter. The flowers are a source of nectar for bees, producing the flavorful Gallberry honey.

Ilex cornuta

Chinese Holly is a dense, rounded evergreen shrub. Its small, white, fragrant flowers bloom in May. Since it is dioecious (separate male and female plants), a male must be in the area to pollinate the female flowers for fruit production. Plant in a location protected from cold winter winds. Use Chinese Holly as a specimen or foundation plant, or plant in groups for a hedge or privacy screen.

Iberis sempervirens

Candytuft is a low-growing, mounding semi-evergreen perennial with shiny, dark green leaves. Small, white, cloud-like flowers cover the plant March-May. Use it to edge walkways, or as a cascading plant over walls in rock gardens.

Hyssopus officinalis

Hyssop is a shrubby, semi-evergreen perennial with fragrant leaves. Fragrant, blue-violet flowers bloom June-September. Use as an ornamental or herb garden plant.

Hydrangea anomala ssp. Petiolaris

Climbing Hydrangea is a woody deciduous vine with root-like holdfasts for climbing. White, fragrant flowers in clusters blooming late June to early July are good for cutting and drying. Attractive exfoliating (peeling), reddish-brown bark of the mature vine provides winter interest. Use it as a flowering cover or screen on brick walls, arbors, and trees. It can be slow to develop at first, but will grow quickly once the roots are established.

Hudsonia tomentosa

Woolly Beach Heather is a slow-growing, mat-like evergreen for dry, sandy soils. Its scale-like, grayish-green leaves protect the plant from summer heat and drying winds. The roots help to hold loose sand in place, especially on dunes. Small, yellow flowers bloom at the top of the branches from late spring into summer. This plant is both drought- and salt-tolerant. It’s a good choice for beaches, dunes, and dry pinelands. Woolly Beach Heather may be difficult to find commercially. Tell your local garden center or nursery about your interest in this plant.

Hibiscus moscheutos

Rose Mallow is a shrub-like perennial with large, heart-shaped leaves, which are smooth on top and “hairy” underneath. Its large, showy, red, pink, white, or bicolor flowers bloom non-stop from midsummer to frost. This plant prefers moist, organic soil. Use it as a specimen plant or plant in masses. Good choice for low, wet sites and edges of ponds or water features.