Winterberry is grown for its foliage and the structure it brings to a planting. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 10 and shrugs off deer. Its late spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees.
Winterberry — the short answer
Winterberry: grown in zones 3–10, part sun, pH 4.5–7.5.
- USDA zones
- 3–10
- Hardy to zone 3a — NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
- Soil pH
- 4.5–7.5
- USDA PLANTS
- Sun
- Part Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Winterberry on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether winterberry actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score winterberry against your land's real conditions.
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What Winterberry is
Winterberry grows as a perennial and reaches around eight feet at maturity. It blooms white in late spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Winterberry
Winterberry grows in USDA zones 3 through 10. Winterberry does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
3-10
Rated hardy to zone 3a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: our plant database.
Soil pH
4.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS
Sun
Part Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Cold Hardiness
-33°F
The coldest temperature this plant is documented to survive.
USDA PLANTS
Mature Height
8 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant winterberry in part sun with at least 4 hours of direct sun.
Match the soil
Winterberry prefers pH 4.5 to 7.5 (USDA PLANTS). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Keep it in good form
Prune winterberry to shape as it grows; the reward is its foliage and structure, not a harvest, so steady upkeep is the whole job.
Where Winterberry thrives
On hardiness alone, winterberry grows across most of the country — its range (USDA zones 3 through 10) is unusually wide. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 3–10 spans average winter lows from -40°F to 40°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 47 outright and splits 4 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 3–10·Where Winterberry growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Winterberry stands, state by state
Winterberry is rated for zones 3–10 — a cold floor USDA puts at -40 to -30°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 47 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 4 more, and 0 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 3–10
47 states
3 of 47 shown
The line runs through
4 states
- Alaska · zones 1a-9a
- California · zones 4b-11a
- Florida · zones 8b-12a
3 of 4 shown
Winterberry’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Winterberry
Growing guides for winterberry
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — winterberry is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Winterberry offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Your land is one point inside Winterberry's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Winterberry will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether winterberry actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Winterberry
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Winterberry in my zone?
Winterberry grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 10 (Rated hardy to zone 3a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: our plant database.). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Winterberry?
Time winterberry to your own season rather than the calendar. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Winterberry need?
Winterberry does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does Winterberry need?
Winterberry prefers soil pH 4.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Winterberry attract pollinators?
Yes — winterberry's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Is Winterberry safe for pets?
Winterberry is toxic to dogs and cats with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Keep exploring Winterberry
Winterberry state by state
Every state winterberry's zone reaches — 20 link straight to that state's winterberry growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.