K-State Research and Extension Douglas County

Winter Does Not Have to be Brown and Gray

by: Sharon Ashworth
Horticulture Program Assistant

You might think the winter landscape a bit dull after fall exits in a blaze of glory. The sweet gum and sugar maple trees were stunning this year, but do you have something in your landscape to look forward to this winter? Try some interesting shrubs that will bring in the birds for your winter enjoyment.

Click any of the images below to learn more about these wonders of the colder seasons.

  • Possumhaw is also a deciduous holly and you should plant it just so you can say its name. Native to Kansas and the southeastern quarter of the US.
  • Hazelnut is native to Kansas and has dangling catkins that persist through winter. The nuts are also visually interesting and can be enjoyed by wildlife and humans alike. Remove the root suckers if you do not want it to spread.
  • The species has red stems, but you can find cultivars that have bright yellow stems as well as red that show off after leaf fall. The berries are popular with many birds in the fall.
  • Flowers with crinkled yellow to purple petals appear in late winter before the foliage. Native to Missouri. Watch for and remove the suckers on this shrub as well.
  • Coralberry might be more commonly known as buckbrush. It is ubiquitous in eastern Kansas woodlands. The coral-red berries persist through the winter for your enjoyment and for birds such as grosbeaks and thrushes. Careful, it does sucker and spread so either give it space or keep on top of the suckers.
  • The seed heads are round balls that dangle from the ends of twigs and persist through the winter. The shrub is native to Kansas and can tolerate wet soils. While some birds do feed on the seeds, the flowers are popular with numerous types of butterflies.
  • For those K-State fans among us, this shrub has gorgeous purple berries! Native to Missouri and the southeastern US.
  • Winterberry is a deciduous holly, but the bright red berries remain after the leaves fall. It is native to Missouri and all points east. The shrub is dioecious, so plant at least one male plant amongst the females to get the berries.

Pictures are from the Missouri Botanical Garden website
Coralberry
Witchhazel
Red-stick dogwood
Hazelnut
Possumhaw

Buttonbush (Arkansas Native Plant Society)

Beautyberry (Texas A&M)
Winterberry (EMG Northern VA)