‘Southern Gentleman’ is a male cultivar of winterberry holly. It is a perennial, woody, deciduous tree or shrub and a member of the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). Plant ‘Southern Gentleman’ in full sun to partial shade. It is adaptable to various soil types, including heavy clay, but it requires acidic soil. It prefers moist soil and tolerates poorly drained soils. Flowers will appear on new growth, thus if pruning is needed to shape the plant, do it in early spring just before new growth appears. Because 'Southern Gentleman' is a male plant, it produces no fruit. 'Southern Gentleman' is the late-blooming male pollenizer plant for other, late-blooming, female Ilex verticillata plants. You need a ratio of one male winterberry for every 6 to 10 female plants. The late-blooming female I. verticillata cultivars include ‘Cacapon’, ‘Shaver’, ‘Sunset’, ‘Winter Gold’, and 'Winter Red'. Plant as a hedge, border tree, or foundation planting. It can also be planted near a pond or in a rain garden. The foliage is a food source for wildlife. It is also a host plant for butterflies and attracts specialized bees. Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating. Quick ID Hints: Deciduous shrubby holly with no fruits Leaves are serrated and veins are pubescent underneath. Leaf veins are impressed on the upper surface of the leaf. Insects, Diseases, Other Plant Problems: The native holly leafminer, Japanese wax scale, and southern red mites are the most frequently reported pests of hollies in the southeastern United States. Leaf spots and powdery mildew occasionally occur. Neutral to alkaline soils may cause chlorosis (yellowing of leaves) and even death. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases and insect pests. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for " Trees, Shrubs and Conifers " a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Ilex verticillata .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Oblong; Obovate
Leaf margin
Doubly Serrate; Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Dark green glossy leaves that have purple-bronze to yellow fall color.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Purple/Lavender
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Cyme; Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Insignificant greenish-white male flowers appear in clusters of 6 or more in leaf axils. Blooms April to June.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit detail
Will not produce fruits as this is a male plant.
Bark color
Dark Gray
Bark detail
Grey to blackish with knobby lenticel bark, grey to grey-brown buds.
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Stem detail
Stems are olive-brown to purplish-brown and are lenticelled.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Distribution
Native North Carolina
Wildlife value
The Winterberry is a host plant for Henry's Elfin butterfly and attracts other pollinators. Members of the genus Ilex support the following specialized bee: Colletes banksi. The foliage is food source for rabbits and deer.