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What tree has red berries in winter


Garden Guides | Trees That Bear Red Berries in Winter

red berries of hawthorn image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com

Trees that bear red berries or fruits in winter become especially ornamental after a snowfall. Unfortunately, hungry songbirds pose a great challenge to enjoying trees with red berries in winter. Some species include separately gendered plants, and making sure you grow both ensures the female trees display the decorative berries annually.

Hawthorns

Hawthorns, or thornapples (Craetagus spp.) ripen their red to red-orange fruits in autumn, but as the foliage drops, the fruits take center stage visually. They persist into early and midwinter until extreme cold shrivels them or they become a meal for a bird. Two examples of hawthorn trees include the green hawthorn (Craetagus virdis) and Washington hawthorn (Craetagus phaenopyrum). Just remember to enjoy the fruits from a distance--the branches of these trees arm themselves with stiff, prickly thorns.

Hollies

No winter holiday celebration would be complete without sprigs and leaves of hollies. Holly (Ilex spp.) plants are dioecious, meaning plants bear only male or female flowers. In order for female trees to display fruits, a male tree nearby must supply the pollen for bees to transport to female blossoms. A wealth of holly species exist for a garden, but larger-sized "trees" include English holly (Ilex aquifolium) and American holly (Ilex opaca), both of which grow slowly.

Igiri Tree

You will pay little attention to the Igiri tree (Idesia polycarpa) unless it is winter when its light-gray barked trunk and branches dangle drooping clusters of red berries. This species, like hollies, is dioecious, with plants being either male or female. Only female trees bear the ornamental berries, but at least one male tree must grow nearby to ensure the female blossoms get pollinated.

Crabapples

We admire crabapples (Malus spp.) for copious displays of fragrant flowers in springtime, but fail to appreciate the often red fruits that remain in late fall to midwinter. Birds and rodents relish the small tasty fruits that are less than 1/2-inch in diameter, but make sure to select red-fruiting varieties, as some bear orange or yellow fruits. Some years, when winters are not harsh, wildlife does not strip the fruits of crabapples until midwinter.

Mountain Ashes

All mountain ash species (Sorbus spp.) grow and look best in cool climate regions. Plus, they tend to succumb to borer and canker problems. If you can grow a mountain ash with ease, you obviously enjoy the red clusters of fruits into winter. Delectable to songbirds, the fruits are grand on four species: whitebeam mountain ash (Sorbus aria), European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia), American mountain ash (Sorbus Americana) and the Korean mountain ash (Sorbus alnifolia).

Trees with red berries: our favorite red berry trees

(Image credit: Phil Bird / Getty Images)

Trees with red berries will provide interest in fall and winter, adding joyful color when the rest of nature is winding down. However, some varieties will add an accent in the summer, and many have beautiful flowers in the spring, too. 

There are trees with red berries to suit every garden setting, and the right choice will add seasonal impact to your backyard ideas.

‘Trees with red berries are decorative and offer visual interest, especially during the winter months,’ says Pete Smith, urban forestry program manager at Arbor Day Foundation . ‘Many of the berries can also be collected for consumption and provide valuable food for wildlife.’ 

Trees with red berries

These are our favorite trees with red berries. Several varieties can be grown as evergreen hedges, which makes them some of the best trees for privacy and screening in a backyard.

When choosing trees with red berries to suit your garden, you must only plant species that will thrive in your area. Knowing your USDA plant hardiness zone is essential, and happily there are options for almost every climate.

You also need to ensure your chosen tree is compatible with your soil type, the level of sunlight it will receive, and how much maintenance you are able to provide. 

Check its maximum size and growth rate to ensure it won't outgrow your yard, and learn how to plant a tree correctly.

Finally, consider whether you want a tree with edible red berries, or are only concerned with its ornamental value. 

‘As a longtime forager and permaculture gardener, my favorite trees with red berries all have edible or medicinal fruit,’ says Susannah Shmurak, founder of the HealthyGreenSavvy.com blog.

Many berries are packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and can be made into everything from jellies to alcoholic beverages. Before eating any berries, however, you must be certain of the variety, as some are poisonous or require cooking before consuming.

1. Hawthorn

(Image credit: Perytskyy/Getty Images)

A familiar sight in hedgerows, the hawthorn tree – Crataegus monogyna – also makes a valuable addition to gardens, as its appealing red berries, or ‘haws’, endure through fall and into the winter. 

‘The hawthorn tree is a beautiful landscape tree that provides bright colored berries enjoyed by birds, squirrels, rabbits and deer,’ says Smith.

You can consume the haws, as long as you cook them first. ‘Hawthorn berries are prized for their medicinal value, especially for promoting heart health,’ says Shmurak.

To eat hawthorn berries, they are at their best when used to make a sauce, but can also be added to an apple jelly, used to make ‘fruit leather’, or even wine. 

In terms of variety, Emilly Barbosa Fernandes, small space gardening consultant at Housegrail , favors the green hawthorn ‘Winter King’. ‘This is one of the trees that display red berries on their branches while the rest of the trees are bare,’ she says. ‘They bloom in the mid to late spring and make a great addition to your yard.’

You should be able to grow hawthorn trees in zones 5 to 9, in most soil types. Ideally they need full sun. Most hawthorns will reach between 15-30ft.

2. Holly

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Not just a symbol of Christmas, holly is one of the best trees with red berries to include in your winter garden ideas. ‘A good option is American holly – Ilex opaca – which has glossy, green leaves all winter long and great red berries used regularly in holiday wreaths,’ says Smith.

Holly trees grow well in zones 5-9, and will tolerate partial shade and most soil types. They can eventually reach as tall as 50ft, but you will need more than one tree to get berries, as they don't self-pollinate.

Arborist Mark Russell believes English holly – Ilex aquifolium – is one of the best trees for privacy. ‘While many people use arborvitae or Leyland cypress as privacy screens, they have their drawbacks due to fungus weaknesses,' he says.

'Instead, I recommend homeowners go with an English holly, as they are hearty cultivars, produce fantastic red berries, and make great privacy screens.’

3. Mountain ash – rowanberry

(Image credit: Feifei Cui-Paoluzzo / Gerry Images)

Yielding bright red rowanberries in late summer to early winter, and frothy white blossom in the spring, the mountain ash – Sorbus aucuparia – is an attractive garden tree. The leaves turn a stunning shade of orange in the fall, making it one of the best trees for autumn color.

‘The stunning mountain ash tree produces masses of attractive fruit that birds eat in the winter – and the determined forager can use them if they're willing to make an effort,’ says Shmurak.

While not one of the tastiest berries, rowanberries are rich in vitamin C and have anti-inflammatory properties. However, you do need to freeze them for a couple of weeks before cooking them, and they take a lot of sugar to counteract their bitterness.

Shmurak recommends turning rowanberries into jelly, vinegar, wine, or even Turkish delight.

In the right setting, mountain ash trees are hardy, but they don’t like extreme heat and humidity. You should be able to grow them in zones 3-6, where they can reach around 30ft. Rowanberries will tolerate partial shade and like well-drained soil.

4. Cherry tree

(Image credit: Steve Smith / Getty Images)

‘Cherry trees are one of my all-time favorite trees with red ‘berries’. Not only do they produce delicious fruit, but the flowers are beautiful too,’ says Barbosa Fernandes.

Unlike many of the other trees featured in this list, cherries ripen during the summer. However, the trees’ stunning blossom often heralds the end of winter, and is one of the first signs that spring is on the way.

There are numerous types of cherry tree you can grow, with options for zones 3-9. Sweet varieties need full sun, but more acidic cooking cherries will grow in partial shade. 'Sweetheart' is a lovely late season variety that has bright red cherries, and is self-fertile. 

Cherry trees come in a range of sizes, and dwarf varieties are some of the best trees to grow in pots, so you can position them on the patio. 

However, even if you don’t have room for a potted cherry you can still enjoy these wonderful trees: ‘There are many festivals around the United States where you can see cherry trees in full bloom, and then later in the year go try some of the cherries yourself,’ adds Barbosa Fernandes.

5. Chokecherry

(Image credit: Akchamczuk / Getty Images)

The chokecherry tree – Prunus virginiana – is native to North America. ‘It’s a smaller tree with a dark red fleshy fruit that can be used to make jams, jellies, syrups and wines,’ says Smith.

Packed with antioxidants, chokecherries can be astringent when not fully ripe, although cultivated varieties are sweeter with a cherry-like flavor.

In spring and summer, the tree bursts with clusters of white flowers, making it attractive in the garden for much of the year.

Reaching up to 30ft, the chokecherry is a versatile tree that grows in zones 2-8.

6. Red chokeberry

(Image credit: R Ann Kautzky / Alamy Stock Photo)

Not to be confused with the similarly named chokecherry, the chokeberry is a very different plant, though both are named for the effect the fruit can have on the palate.

Technically it’s an upright treelike shrub, and while common varieties are dark blue/purple, the red chokeberry – Aronia arbutifolia – is a stunning shiny ruby hue.

‘In the spring, they have gorgeous white flowers that eventually give way to the bright red berries in the summer months until late fall,’ says Jen Stark, gardening and home writer, and founder of Happy DIY Home .

‘Additionally, the leaves turn brilliant colors in the fall to give you multi-season interest. The berries are too bitter to eat raw, but you can use them in desserts or savory dishes to help balance out the flavor profile.’

This deciduous shrub gets between 6.5-13ft tall and has large leaves, making it one of the best trees for small gardens.

7. Mulberry tree

(Image credit: YONCA60/Getty Images)

‘Red mulberry trees – Morus rubra – are wonderful because they produce an immense amount of fruit when in season,’ says Russell. 

‘The fruit that they produce is really similar to raspberries, or blackberries. It's super sweet and more than anything super plentiful.’

Mulberry trees can reach up to 80ft, and can be grown in zones 4-9, tolerating part shade.  

However, Russell warns not to plant one over your driveway or a walkway – ‘because all of those berries can stain.’ For this reason, mulberries may not be the best trees for front yards.

8. Juneberries

(Image credit: Akchamczuk / Getty Images)

‘Though the ripest berries are a bit on the purply side, my favorite trees with red berries are hands-down juneberries – Amelanchier alnifolia – also known as serviceberry or saskatoon,’ says Shmurak. 

‘These delicious blueberry-like fruits grow prolifically in all sorts of conditions, have lovely spring flowers, as well as attractive fall color.’

Juneberries are hardy trees that grow well in zones 2-7, tolerating light shade and damp sites. They typically reach between 15-35ft. 

Another benefit of these wonderful trees is that in the spring they produce elegant star-shaped flowers, while in the fall, their foliage turns brilliant red orange.

9. Peruvian pepper

(Image credit: Weisschr / Getty Images)

Peruvian pepper – Schinus molle – is also known as the California pepper tree, false pepper, or the American pepper.  

'This is an evergreen tree that produces small red berries with a peppery taste,’ says Stark. 'You can eat the berries safely.'

The Peruvian pepper tree does best in arid and hot climates, thriving in zones 8-11, and reaches 25-50ft in height.

‘It has pretty pinnate fern-like leaves with small white flowers in the spring. Its berry-like drupes of pink or red woody seeds grow in large clusters all year long,' adds Stark.

10. Yew

(Image credit: Zelg / Getty Images)

A large coniferous tree, the yew – Taxus baccata – makes a beautiful addition to the garden with its bright scarlet berries in the fall and lush green needles. 

It's also an ancient tree with a fascinating history steeped in myth and superstition. While they are difficult to date, there are yew trees believed to be over 3,000 years old.

As an evergreen tree, the yew provides color and screening in the garden year round, and grows in zones 5-7.  Though it can reach great heights, it can be pruned to keep it in shape or to serve as a hedge.

However, while it offers lots of landscaping potential, the yew tree is poisonous to humans, so it’s not one to plant if you prefer trees with red berries that you can sample. Happily, the birds can enjoy the berries in safety.

How do I identify a tree with red berries?

To identify a tree with red berries, it helps to find out the common trees that grow in your area, as this will narrow down the options.

Invest in a tree identification book with clear photographs and descriptions to help you examine the tree.

While the presence of red berries provides the first clue, you should also look at the leaf type and shape, as this is slightly different for every tree.

Which trees have red berries in summer?

Popular trees that have red berries in summer include cherry trees, mulberries and juneberries, while hawthorns tend to start developing berries in the summer. 

As editor of Period Living, Britain's best-selling period homes magazine, Melanie loves the charm of older properties. I live in a rural village just outside the Cotswolds in England, so am lucky to be surrounded by beautiful homes and countryside, where I enjoy exploring. Having worked in the industry for almost two decades, Melanie is interested in all aspects of homes and gardens. Her previous roles include working on Real Homes and Homebuilding & Renovating, and she has also contributed to Gardening Etc. She has an English degree and has also studied interior design. Melanie frequently writes for Homes & Gardens about property restoration and gardening.

Plants with colorful and useful fruits and berries - the decoration of the winter garden

The most striking and beloved decoration of the winter garden, of course, can be considered the fruits of trees and shrubs, many of which are not only beautiful, but also edible, and also have healing properties. Of course, red clusters of viburnum and mountain ash come to mind first. Few people know that there are rowan varieties not only with red berries, but also with fruits of other colors. The rowan variety ‘Joseph Rock’ (Sorbus aucuparia ‘Joseph Rock’) has creamy yellow fruits, but they stay on the tree less than usual. In mountain ash aria (Sorbus aria) varieties 'Lutescens', 'Magnifica' - large orange-red berries, very abundantly covering the branches, less bitter, with a high content of vitamin C. Chinese mountain ash (Sorbus discolor) has yellowish-white or pinkish fruits ( zone 5), and in the shrub rowan Koehne (S. koehneana) - numerous alabaster-white, small, sour without bitterness on red petioles. Throughout the winter, the wonderful cashmere rowan (Sorbus cashmiriana) is decorated with white clusters. nine0003

The fruits of pyracantha. Photo by A. Pogrebnyak.

Common viburnum (Viburnum opulus) has even become a national symbol of Ukraine, embodying girlish innocence and beauty. A folk proverb says "There is no Ukraine without willow and viburnum." Beautiful clusters are not only pleasing to the eye, they are a real storehouse of vitamins used in folk medicine and cosmetics, as well as food for wintering birds.

Yellow berries of sea buckthorn

Very useful are chokeberry berries, popularly called black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) - a large shrub offered by nurseries in the form of a tree grafted onto a trunk. And of course, one cannot help but recall the no less useful and beautiful bright orange berries of sea buckthorn (Hippophae). Breeders have bred many varieties with different sizes and colors of berries, but they are all very useful and eaten with pleasure by birds. In our endemic, hawthorn (Cranaegus monogina), the berries also have medicinal properties, but are of little use for food and do not hang on the tree for long. However, it is possible to grow other species in which the pulp of the fruit is quite juicy and very palatable, for example b. “cock spur” (Crataegus crus-galli L.), and in bright red hawthorns (Crataegus coccinea) and plum-leaved (Crataegus prunifolia) fruits adorn the garden almost all winter. Traditionally, black elderberry grows in rural gardens, the branches of which literally bend in winter under the weight of bunches of black berries, which have long been used by housewives for filling pies. In the red elder (S. racemosa), the fruits are more elegant, but inedible. nine0003

Magonia holly with fruits. Photo by A. Pogrebnyak

In the countries of Western Europe jam is made from bluish-blue berries with a touch of holly mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium), and red berries of barberries (Berberis) are traditionally used in cooking. The black fruits of the shadberry (A. lamarckii) are also used for food, the variety "Ballerina" has larger berries, a beautiful crown, it is resistant to powdery mildew.

Fruits of an apple-tree berry in January. Photo by Victoria Roy.

Undeservedly rare in our gardens and squares are numerous unpretentious and frost-resistant species popular in the west (more often from Eastern Siberia, Manchuria or Northern China) and varieties of ornamental apple trees, which, after spring flowering, are covered with a mass of small, very beautiful apples of different colors. Malus 'Professor Sprenger' (zone 3) has yellow-red fruits, while Malus 'Royalty' is almost black-purple. Yellow small fruits of the Manchurian apple tree (M. manshurisa), slightly elongated, graceful, yellow in color with a bright red side, glossy - transitional apple tree (M. Transitoria), small red - berry apple tree, or Siberian (M. baccata (L.) Borkh. = M. Pallasiana) remain on the branches for a very long time, which gives the tree an additional decorative effect. These very frost-resistant plants, not demanding on growing conditions, resistant to pests and diseases, look great in avenue, group and single plantings on the lawn. nine0003

Cotoneaster horizontalis strewn with bright fruits all winter

Almost all winter the branches of cotoneasters and snowberries are strewn with bright fruits. Almost until spring, coral-red berries of wonderful cotoneasters remain: horizontal (Cotoneaster horisontalis), low (Cotoneaster adpressus), Dammer (Cotoneaster dammeri 'Coral beauty'), willow-leaved (Cotoneaster salicifolius) and bubbly (Cotoneaster bullatus), and black berries of chokeberry (C. melanocarpus). nine0003

Everyone knows wild rose, dog rose (Rosa canina), which grows everywhere, which is harvested for the winter to make vitamin tea. However, there are many more decorative speciessuitable for planting in parks and gardens, for example, wrinkled rose (Rosa rugosa) with large, orange-red, slightly flattened fruits, or Moyesi rose (R. moyesii) - a large spreading bush, originally from China , whose thin brownish branches are covered with elongated fiery fruits up to 6 cm long.

Snowberry and its berries

I would especially like to draw your attention to the species and varieties of snowberry that are undeservedly rare in our gardens. Many are familiar with the white snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). If you take care of rejuvenating pruning in the spring, then in the fall so many white berries form on young shoots that from a distance it may seem that the spring "white bride" - the Vangutta spirea - has bloomed again. There are also varieties of snowberry, in which the berries acquire very beautiful shades of purple and lilac: Dorenboz snowberry (Symphoricarpos doorenbosii) - 'Mother of Pearl' and 'White Hedge'. Moreover, all types of snowberries are quite unpretentious, suitable for sheared hedges and tolerate significant shading. Therefore, they are indispensable in those places where other shrubs will suffer, for example near a high fence, in a shaded corner, under large trees. nine0003

In parks and botanical gardens, a large European spindle tree (Euonymus europaea) is often found, the branches of which are covered all winter with bright original fuchsia-colored fruit-boxes with bright orange shiny seeds inside.

The most diverse berries adorn the branches of species honeysuckle: endemic to our forests, absolutely unpretentious. tatar (Lonicera tatarica) in light red translucent round berries, often found in gardens honeysuckle-Caprifolia. (L. сaprifolium) in orange-red berries that attract birds. But the longest lasting on the bushes are the abundant red berries of Maack's honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). nine0003

Bright Pyracantha Berries

Fewer people are familiar with the beautiful evergreen pyracantha shrub. The name of this shrub comes from the Greek 'pyr' meaning fire and 'akanthos' meaning thorn. The bush is good on its own with shiny, rich green foliage, it is beautifully sheared, so it is suitable for topiary haircuts and impenetrable hedges. And in autumn it is covered with a huge amount of red berries, and there are also varieties with orange and yellow berries. In severe winters, young growths and leaves can freeze to the level of snow cover, but then they recover well. nine0003

Another interesting plant for vertical landscaping is the climbing arborescens

(Celastrus orbiculatus), covered in winter with yellow fruits with red seeds inside. This frost-resistant vine grows quickly, tolerates partial shade.

Nursery catalogs guarantee the growth in zone 4 of a very beautiful deciduous coral holly (Ilex verticillata ), whose red, very abundant berries adorn it all winter. It would also be interesting to try the wonderful evergreen holly, abundantly covered all winter with bright purple fruits (Ilex meserveae "Blue Prince") - zone 6a. nine0003

The view of the winter garden can be attractive even in a snowless winter. Photo by Victoria Roy.

Garden centers offered showy shrubs in autumn, strewn with brilliant round berries of an amazing lilac-violet color, Callicarpa bodinieri `Profusion`. However, I want to warn gardeners, because this plant loves acidic soil and can freeze completely in a frosty winter.

Another interesting plant for areas with acidic soil is the wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) - an evergreen shrub 30cm tall, covered with red berries all winter (zone 5c). Gaultheria shallon has black-red berries up to 60cm high. nine0003

The cones of various coniferous plants look very interesting and can become a collector's item. The cones of Korean fir (Abies koreana) protruding like candles are painted especially colorfully in red-violet tones. It was in winter, when the needles of larch (Larix) that turned yellow in autumn, fell off, exposing thin graceful branches, rounded, ovoid or almost cylindrical cones, similar to small roses or chrysanthemums, are clearly visible. Even when the seeds spill out, empty cones adorn the trees for several years (for European larch - L. decidua up to 10) years. The most beautiful cones of Japanese larch, or thin-scaly (Larix kaempferi) are first yellowish-green, then brown spherical (2-3 cm) with thin, leathery scales, similar to small roses, remain on the branches up to 3 years. nine0003

The most famous and useful for humans are large (up to 13 cm long) cones of Siberian stone pine, or Siberian stone pine (P. Sibirica), which produce edible nut seeds.

Peculiar narrow-cylindrical cones (16 x 4 cm) of Weymouth pine (P. strobus) hang on the tree for a long time, 1-3. Mountain pine (R. mugo) small beautiful cones ripen in November annually and abundantly. Beautiful long cones, with peculiar winged scales, abundantly cover the branches of the Menzies pseudo-hemlock (Pseudotsuga menziesii). nine0003

Pseudo-hemzies cones

The coniferous yew (Taxus baccata) has completely different fruits. Its seeds are enclosed in a bright scarlet fleshy pericarp 6-7 mm long and 3.5 mm wide. Interestingly, all parts of this plant are poisonous, except for the red seed pods.

Juniper fruits. Photo by Yury Myshanov

One of the main ornamental features of the virgin juniper (Juniperus virginiana 'Grey Owl') is the formation of a huge number of silvery berries. nine0003

Catalpa bignonioides gives an exotic appearance to the pods with seeds, hanging abundantly from elastic branches until the very spring. Not everyone likes them, but I really like them. Note that the 'Nana' variety does not bloom, hence lacking this decoration. The bright red stems of sumac (Rhus typhina), long after the leaves have fallen, like blazing candles, invariably attract attention.

Bright red sumac buds

By planting berry trees and shrubs in our gardens, we not only decorate them, but also help wintering birds survive the harsh time, and they, in turn, spread the seeds and save the garden from pests. nine0003

Victoria Roy
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9 plants that will decorate your garden in winter with bright fruits. Names, descriptions, photos - Botanichka

The main "winter" plants are a variety of coniferous trees and shrubs. Additional decoration is also given by twisted shoots and bright bark of some hardwoods. But, probably, bright multi-colored fruits look most expressive on bare trees among a sleeping garden. Such plants, among other things, will be an appetizing treat for birds and attract birds to your garden. About what trees and shrubs can keep fruits during the winter, I will tell in this article. nine0003 9 plants that will decorate your garden in winter with bright fruits. © Lyudmila Svetlitskaya

1. Rowan

A familiar tree familiar to everyone since childhood - rowan ( Sorbus ) - is widely used in urban landscaping, and may seem banal to many. However, there are a huge number of species and varieties of mountain ash, which are not only distinguished by the varied color of the berries, but also by the sweetish taste (sweet-fruited varieties). Garden rowan is also dwarf or weeping. And some types of mountain ash are distinguished by unusual foliage - thinner openwork or, on the contrary, solid leaf blades. nine0003

Among the fruit-decorative varieties, one can single out mountain ash "Titania" , "Pomegranate" and "Dessert" with very rich dark red fruits of a sweetish taste. Rowan "Burka" , also related to sweet-fruited varieties, is distinguished by dark purple (almost black) berries. And the most unusual of the mountain ash are amazing trees, whose fruits are painted in a snow-white color. These include Kene Rowan and Kashmiri . nine0003

Rowan berries are a valuable food for birds. Due to increased bird demand, some trees may be bare by January, so make sure to enjoy this eye-catching feast in the first half of winter.

Rowan (Sorbus). © jlcummins

2. Ornamental Apple Tree

In spring, we admire ornamental apple trees covered in pink, red or white flowers. In summer, they can please with reddish foliage. And with the onset of autumn, decorative apple trees are decorated with beads of tiny apples. The size of the fruits of ornamental apple trees is on average 2.5 centimeters, and thanks to the long stalks, they can be mistaken for unusual cherries from afar.

By the way, the fruits of most ornamental apple trees are quite bitter in taste and need alternating frosts and thaws before they become suitable for birds to eat. Birds turn to apples last when other fruits in the garden disappear. nine0003

There are many different types and varieties of ornamental apple trees, they differ not only in the color and shape of the flower, habit and foliage, but also in the duration of the preservation of fruits on the branches. Since some varieties of apple trees fall off immediately after ripening, before choosing a variety, it is better to study in advance information about the shelf life of fruits on branches. In particular, varieties that preserve fruits in winter include: ‘Butterball’ , ‘John ​​Downie’ , ‘Harvest Gold’ , ‘Wintergold’ and some others.

Decorative apple tree (Malus). © Lyudmila Svetlitskaya

Read more about growing ornamental apple trees in the article Ornamental apple trees.

3. Sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn ( Hippophae ) is a colorful fruit shrub with narrow silvery leaves and orange berries that remain on the branches throughout the winter. This is a very stable and hardy plant, tolerant of infertile soil and close standing groundwater. Sea buckthorn is a valuable fruit crop. Its fruits contain vitamins A, C, groups B, E, K and P, and are also rich in other substances important for human health.

When planting sea buckthorn, it is important to bear in mind that a male and female plant is needed for pollination. Sea buckthorn often gives growth, but it is well cut. The plant can be shaped into a rounded bush, which, thanks to its delicate silvery foliage, will look very decorative. Birds willingly eat sea buckthorn berries in winter, and most of all they are interested in the seeds in the fruits, and they leave the juicy pulp intact. nine0003

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae)

Read more about the varieties and cultivation of sea buckthorn in the article Sea buckthorn - will take away any dashing.

4. Rosehip

This well-known storehouse of vitamin C decorates the garden with large fragrant flowers at the beginning of summer. Modern varieties have wild rose ( Rosa ) there are magnificent densely double flowers that can be easily confused with a rose. But if you have to forget about roses until spring, then rose hips will decorate the landscape in winter.

Terry wild roses are represented by such popular varieties as "Agness" (bright yellow flowers), "Muscosa" (pink), "Konrad Ferdinand Meyer" (white) and others.

A separate line of wild roses was bred in order to obtain the largest and sweetest fruits, and in some varieties they can reach a weight of 9gram. Fruit rose hips include: "Oval" , "Titan" , "Jubilee" and others. The fruits of large-fruited rose hips are not only brewed as tea, but various dishes are also prepared from them - jam, compote, jelly and jam. Looks very exotic prickly rosehip , whose fruits are almost black.

Rosehip (Rosa). © Lyudmila Svetlitskaya

5. Common viburnum

In the summer of common viburnum ( Viburnum opulus ) is decorated with lacy caps of snow-white inflorescences, which look very impressive against the background of dark green maple-like foliage. In autumn, the multi-colored elegant foliage of the viburnum is a fantastic sight. But the colorful berries of common viburnum deserve special attention. nine0003

Bright red clusters, decorated with snow-white caps of snow in winter, delight the eye almost more than New Year's garlands. And it is especially interesting to observe bullfinches or noisy flocks of crested waxwings on the viburnum bush. Some varieties of viburnum are distinguished by golden yellow translucent berries, for example, "Xanthocarpum" .

Viburnum berries keep well until about the middle of winter, before they are completely eaten by birds. Kalina grows well on moist soils, tolerates the proximity of groundwater and stagnant water. nine0003

Common viburnum (Viburnum opulus). © Lyudmila Svetlitskaya

Read more about the plant in the article Kalina - all about growing.

6. Hawthorn

Hawthorn ( Crataegus ) has many species. Most often in landscaping in the middle lane you can find such varieties as: hawthorn blood red , common , spot , semi-soft , canadian and others. Depending on the species and variety, hawthorn berries range from small to relatively large, and, in addition to the traditional red, can be dyed in other colors.

Hawthorn usually bears abundant fruit, making the trees look very elegant, as if decorated with a garland. Hawthorn fruits attract many birds, but most often you can see thrushes on them. nine0003

Incredibly beautiful varieties of hawthorn with double flowers in pink shades are often found on sale, for example, Paul Scarlett. About However, from the point of view of winter decorativeness, such varieties are of no value, since they are sterile and do not set fruits.

Large-fruited varieties of hawthorn with very tasty large fruits, which are often grown in orchards, are also not very suitable for decorating a winter garden. They almost completely crumble after they are ripe. nine0003

Hawthorn (Crataegus)

Read also our article Hawthorn is the king of ornamental shrubs.

7. Derain

Derain ( Cornus ) is a popular horticultural shrub that is highly valued for its brightly colored foliage. Some varieties decorate gardens in winter with very bright coloring of young shoots (bright crimson, orange and yellow). There are several types of deren in the culture. The most common of them is white derain, the natural forms of which also grow in the middle lane in the wild.

In winter, the shrub is decorated with bright white berries with a slight bluish tint. In autumn, these snow-white fruits are incredibly spectacular against the backdrop of bright red foliage. When the leaves fall, they also remain on the shrub and serve as its main decoration. nine0003

Birds simply adore these fruits, but for humans, the berries of this type of derain are very unpleasant in taste and are moderately poisonous. Another type of derain - blood red - is distinguished by resinous dark purple (almost black) berries. These fruits are also inedible, but attractive to birds.

Deren (Cornus). © naturgucker

8. Snowberry

Snowberry ( Symphoricarpos ) is a low shrub widely used in urban landscaping. Most often, clipped or free-growing hedges are created from it. In the summer, we pay little attention to the snowberry because of its inconspicuous dull green foliage and small, barely noticeable flowers. But as soon as the foliage flies around, the snowberry will immediately sparkle with many snow-white berries, sticking around the bushes like small snowballs. nine0003

The snowberry seems so ordinary to us that it is rarely planted in the garden, and at best - settled in the front garden. However, modern shrub varieties have very unusual pink berries, which has revived interest in the culture among gardeners. Such varieties of the snowberry as "Mather of Pearl" with very large berries, as well as "Magic Berry" and "Amethyst" have a pink color. Snowberry berries are poisonous!

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos). © Lyudmila Svetlitskaya

Read also our article Luxurious necklaces of Dorenboz snow berries.

9. Elderberry

Garden forms Elderberry ( Sambucus ) has recently gained more and more fans among gardeners. Elderberry has very beautiful carved leaves, which can have different colors: golden ( "Plumosa Aurea" ), dark purple ( "Black Lake" ), white bordered ( "Madonna" ).

This is a very hardy plant that grows quickly and requires almost no maintenance. Berries red elderberry (carpus) are inedible. The fruits of black elderberry are edible, but still they are not recommended to be eaten in large quantities without prior heat treatment or drying.

Black elderberries are widely known for their beneficial properties. Most often, syrup or lozenges are made on their basis, which are indicated in the treatment of colds. Elderberry roots are believed to repel mice and rats. nine0003

Elderberry (Sambucus). © Sarah

See also our article Elderberry Ornamental Career.

Dear readers! Plants with winter berries are not only a decoration of the garden, but also a valuable source of food that can save the lives of many species of wild birds.

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