Maryland Grows

Q:  Are Nandina berries okay to use in holiday decor? I love their bright color and long-lasting berries, but I heard they may be invasive.

A:  I would not use them, since yes, Nandina domestica is invasive in our region. While observations of the species growing in natural areas suggest it hasn’t run as rampant as other invasive shrubs (Multiflora Rose, various honeysuckle species, Autumn Olive, etc.), we should not assume it will stay that way as the climate changes. For example, a decade ago, I didn’t notice Mahonia seedlings to the extent that I do now. They are easy to see in deciduous woodlands in winter, with their evergreen, holly-like leaves on shrubs that are short enough for deer to ravage if they were actually willing to eat them.

For colorful berries in winter holiday arrangements, Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) is a commonly available alternative, and the species is native across the state. (The forms grown for cut branch use are cultivars that produce larger or more prolific berries than wild forms.) The berries should last from when cut branches are first sold for the season (usually early December, at least from local farms) to when you compost the aging arrangement after the new year. As with most cut holiday greens, Winterberry branches hold up best when kept cool and out of direct sunlight.

Other hollies, like Foster Holly (Ilex x attenuata ‘Fosteri’), can also be used for showy branch cuttings, and the hybrid’s leaves are more slender and less prickly than American Holly or other evergreen species. It may be harder to find cut Foster Holly boughs, though, especially since a farm will need to reach high branches to harvest. A red accent to a greens arrangement can also be added via cut stems of Redtwig Dogwood, though overall they’re a darker red color than holly berries. There are native (Cornus stolonifera, which is rare in Maryland) and non-native (Cornus alba and Cornus sanguinea) species and cultivars available on the market, which vary in stem color and brightness. If you grow your own for harvesting, it’s the youngest wood that has the richest bark color; older stems are less showy, which is why older shrubs are often cut back every few years to force more colorful regrowth.

By Miri Talabac, Horticulturist, University of Maryland Extension Home & Garden Information Center. Miri writes the Garden Q&A for The Baltimore Sun and Washington Gardener Magazine. Read more by Miri.